The Unborn Heir
by KalGal
Summary: During the battle to defeat Naraku, Sesshomaru is saved by a mysterious girl who claims to be his daughter from the future. This is the story of her time in the Western Lands, known to everyone as the Unborn Heir.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

The world was tilted on its axis when the poison hit his systems. His body was rejecting it as quickly as possible, but he could feel his organs shutting down and his sword arm going weak. Sesshomaru glared fiercely at the man across the burning field.

Naraku was dressed for the occasion, his hair pulled up into an elaborate tail that flowed like dark water down to his back. His smile was cold and frightening even though all his clones lay dead at his side. The small boy and girl piled one on top of the other, their white hair dyed block with their dried blood and Kagura was covered by her feather, covering her missing bottom half.

"Oh Lord of the West, did you really think you could beat me?" He mocked his dark eyes flashing as he spread his arms wide to the body's surrounding him. InuYasha was thrown into a crater and he didn't seem to be moving. The priest was gripping the cold hand of the demon hunter while clutching at the hole in his stomach. Sesshomaru noticed the priestess writhing on the ground, flighting the poison pumping throughout her body much the same as he was, her bow thrown to her side in her pain.

He refused to lose when he was so close to victory. Naraku had not been unblemished in the fight. InuYahsa landed the first blow, slicing his leg clean off and before he could regenerate it, the miko burned it to a crisp, slowing the process. He thought to applaud her ingenuity it they survived the battle. He himself had cut his chest and burned it with his poison, but a length of time had passed, and his miasma was healing his body.

Naraku laughed and it sounded as if two stones were grinding together. He raised his sword as Naraku's clashed down. The metal screeched and sparked, throwing off an all most whining noise. He could feel the poison hit his legs and he despised kneeing.

"Hey asshole!" A yell came from over his shoulder and he glanced in shock to the wobbling miko, holding her bow in her shaky and all most unresponsive hands. The evil man just laughed and pointed, not taking her seriously, but Sesshomaru caught the moment where determination lit her eyes, and her arms straitened and her stance became steady. She pulled her bow taunt and whispered to it, her words drowned out with Naraku's maniacal laughter, before letting it fly with a beautiful wiz.

The arrow buried itself in his chest, the fetching poking out from the place his heart should have been. His laughter had stopped and he had to do a double take to see that she had truly made the shot. When he let out a scream of outrage and threw his hand out, the thick purple miasma piled around the woman, filling her mouth until her choked screams pounded inside his scull and his protective instincts make his chest tighten, even she was not a real part of his pack.

"Stop!" His voice was strong, the voice of a ruler, not a man about to be killed. Naraku cackled but his face cringed when he shifted and the arrow grew pink around his flesh until it started turning the skin into charred remnants. He wanted to check to make sure the presets was ok, and he sighed in relief when her gasps and the sound of her throwing up caught his ears.

"Do you care for her, Sesshomaru? She is quite pretty but too bad she is a filthy human!" He mocked, stalking over to her and fisting a hand in her hair before dragging her towards a kneeling Sesshomaru. She twisted her head and bit him, her blunt teeth leaving marks but he didn't bleed. He cursed and tossed her at Sesshomaru's feet. The Lord of the West grabbed her arm and she shifted backwards almost into his lap. "Look at this! The priestess cowers and The Lord of the West knees at my feet. The world is as it should be."

Time seemed to slow, bend around them, and before he knew what he was doing, he curled his body around hers to take the black swords attach Naraku was planing to make. But the blade never landed. Both blinked up in confusion and watched as a Naraku did the same.

His hands fell to the ground and Kagome buried her head into his clothing to get the frightful screams and the image from where it had burned itself into her retinas. He remained leaning heavily on his sword and watched the battle unfold.

"A Lord of the West would never bow to the likes of you." She stated, her words proud and noble. Sesshomaru could feel her powers thrumming under her skin and his mouth was agape when he watched her pure white hair swish to the side when she looked over her shoulder the other Inu.

The mark of the heir of the Western Lands was between her brows and the violet stripes that crossed her sharp cheek bones were no imitation. The two on the ground started up in confusion and distrust at her bright golden eyes. Even from their standpoint, the girl looked exactly like him in almost every way but the darker, richer, tone to her skin. A small smile graced her mouth before she turned back to face a wailing Naraku.

He threw his head back and the earth quaked and cracked. The girl remained sure footed, shifting to the side a second before the ground split, always making it to level footing. Naraku's cries soon shifted to pained laughter, like something you might hear in a horror movie.

"You are just like them! I can see it in your eyes!" He cackled, clutching his stomach and ignored the fact he was missing his hands. He pointed with the stubs at the woman, clean dressed in a plain white kimono. "Even in the way you walk! You ooze purity. I despise people like you!"

"I don't exactly like your kind of people either." She responded, pulling the second sword from its sheath at her waist and putting one in each hand. Her handle on the swords seemed weak and then she tossed them in the air and caught them backwards, so the blades were facing to her back and the hilts faced a smirking Naraku.

"What do you think you could possibly do, that your kin haven't already done?!" He laughed and it was clear that the mastermind was since lost his mind, and now a man man stood where he once did. His white teeth were stained red and blood dripped from his mouth. He whipped at it impatiently and even from their crouched positions, they could see the dark stains that spread from different parts of his persons. He looked at them in disgust.

"I will do what no one has done with you, as of yet," Her bare feet padded light on the ground as she swayed over to his severed hands and stabbed a sword through each. Naraku reached for his chest and gasped. His gurgling was thick and harsh. " I will out smart you."

Sesshomaru expected Kagome to turn away, to cringe or hide her face in fear, but she held strong, watching as the man who had killed so many, choked on his own lifeblood. His muscles spammed and then he fell. He landed on the ground and his hollow eyes looked at the standing woman, bathed in the light of the rising sun, her blades, one pure white, the other a dark obsidian, saturated in blood. To much blood for hands. Just enough to be from a heart.

"Like the saying goes, 'You don't kill with your weapons, you kill with your hands and your heart.'" She sighed and it came out in an exhausted huff. She threw the severed body parts from her swords and ran her hands over them to clean off the remaining blood before rubbing them on her once clean kimono and sheathing them. "I'm sorry to scare you, my name is Yuzuki."

"I do not think that is our first concern." Sesshomaru stated, pushing a physically and mentally exhausted Kagome behind him. "Who sent you? What are you?"

"As I said, my name is Yuzuki." She repeated, looking around at the clearing miasma and the four dead bodies around the clearing. She held out her hand and from Naraku's corpse, the completed jewel flew from his chest and into her hands. Her face never changed but she held the jewel out to him and when he stretched out his hand, she smacked it away. "Not you, her!" She pointed to Kagome and the woman reached out her hand for the crystal, which Yuzuki dropped into. "As for who sent me, you did, and what am I you ask? I am your daughter."

**This idea has been floating around my head for a while and I thought since I finally finished the OC's backgrounds, I would publish it. Tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

The group limped along the forest, more then half leaning on a demon. Yuzuki blinked curiously at the interactions between InuYasha and Kagome while they bickered about how to explain her sudden arrival.

"Why did you come?" It was more a statement then a question and the way Sesshomaru's voice turned cold showed his anger at not understanding his future selfs decision.

"As I before said, you can't know why I came, it could throw off the whole time stream." She explained, shifting an exhausted but alive Sango on her back. Yuzuki was constantly asking her if she was ok and to tell her if she grew uncomfortable.

"You are nothing like your dad." InuYasha laughed and that earned him a smack from a limping Kagome. He shrugged his should to explain himself and she just sighed.

"You would be surprised how alike we are when it comes to the nobles." She commented and Sesshomaru stumbled for a millisecond before righting himself and continuing. His blunder was only seen by Yuzuki and InuYasha, the only two with eyes sharp enough to catch it. "When I was a child, my father would show me how to hold a sword. You should have seen how red the Lords faces got when I sliced a fruit before their eyes."

She laughed and the rest of the group joined in, her charisma enchanting. They all, even the ones half asleep from blood loss, were confused by her demeanor. She was cold and calculating as seen in her swordplay, but she seemed kind and sweet when her blades were sheathed.

"I just have to ask, who is your mother?" Sango asked, her voice tight and her words pushed out of her sore throat. Yuzuki just shook her head and smiled, which threw them off guard.

"I have pushed my luck since I was a child, I don't think I want to mess with time and relative dimensions. All I can say is that she is a wonderful woman who taught me to stand for what I believe in." She smiled to herself in memory and something occurred to Kagome when she saw the rueful smile.

"Can you get home? Back to your time I mean?" She watched the girl smile and nod but didn't bother to share her details with the rest of the group. In that way, she was very similar to Sesshomaru.

"In a moon cycles time, I will go home." She explained but dropped the subject right after, giving them only that tidbit. "We are nearing the Palace."

"How can you tell?" Miroku asked, his staff helping him hold his weight and to not lean on InuYasha like Kagome was doing.

"My fathers back straitened. He always gets nervous when entering from this side entrance." She told and the others eyes wandered over the Western Lords shoulders. Kagome let her eyes drop a bit lower then glanced around to make sure no one had seen and embarrassingly blushed when she caught his daughters eye. Yuzuki laughed and the others looked at her in confusion. "I require my sleep in a bed _not_ made of sticks and stones; let's move a bit quicker."

Her suggestion was taken to heart and the group moved a bit faster until the trees parted and a large separated guard station rose into the sky, its bricks spiraling upward. In the small window at the top, three shadows could be seen moving and the smell of food wafted down to them.

"Continue. We will reach the Palace soon."

TUH

The mouths of the servants seemed to drop and the girl took it all in stride. Sesshomaru was pleasantly surprised to watch her transformation. She was a girl, clever and intelligent, but foolish and ignorant to ways in the court, but as they walked onto the grounds, her smile faded and she moved forward to flank him, the proper place for the heir. Her face was firm and and arms remained stiff at her side. Her forehead was bare to display the markings.

He motioned for all his servants to follow behind and they all fell into step, often peaking around one and another to catch a glimpse of the unknown heir. Yuzuki could tell they were thinking up scandals relating to her birth.

When they reached the large gathering room, Sesshomaru raised he hands and the buzz of talking silenced. All eyes rested on the dais where the bloody and battered group sat. Before Sesshomaru could explain, Yuzuki sat up, her tone quiet but strong she asked her father to speak.

Sesshomaru studied the girl carefully. For the first time since her arrival, he saw what the others saw. Unlike the other Inu's, her face was sharper, defined like his. Her eyes were a lighter shade then his own, but they held the same passion he had seen very few times in his extended life time. He nodded lightly and she smiled quietly.

"My name is Yuzuki. For all you wondering, I am no scandal, nor am I a bastard, a child born between an unmated couple. I will be born in years yet to happen. I was sent back to do something that only I can do, and as such, I would like you treat me with all the respect you think I deserve." She looked out among the crowd and saw the confusion rippling about them. "I see your wondering faces. You have to understand, I am the Unborn Heir."

She sat down again, gracefully and delicately, the exact opposite of the girl talking to them in the woods a while back. InuYasha's group wondered if all royals hid their true personalities like she did.

Sesshomaru waved them away and they scattered like mice, each pushing and racing to reach the exit first. Once the room was cleared, Yuzuki stretched and padded out of the room and down the hall.

The others followed behind her and her father brought up the rear, watching as she navigated the winding halls with a practiced ease. Her hands trailed the woodwork and she started reading the carvings, all done in ancient and dead languages. All were impressed with her vast knowledge and when she caught her fathers eye, blood pooled in her cheeks and her head snapped forward.

"This is my room." She stated, opening the door and stepping inside to hide her crimson face. He just nodded to the rooms spaced evenly down the rest of the hall, and when most of the group limped to empty rooms, he reached out to knock.

"We both know your room would be-"

"The door to the left of yours. Yes but it seems I'm slightly flushed and would like to calm my emotions." She whispered honestly and he rested a hand on the wood, listening to her frantic heartbeat and knowing that, despite every fiber of his being rioting, she was his child, his first born. With his keen ears he caught her sigh and a slight sniffle, like she was crying. "Ask your question. I know you have one."

He was silent for a few seconds before grabbing the handle and opening the door. When he glanced around the corner, the Heir was gone and in her place was a child. He didn't know how to respond to her bloodshot eyes of her wringing hands.

"Are you happy? In you time?" He specified and watched a few tears leak from her eyes and she tightened her lip in an attempt to stop them. After she thought about the question for a bit, a smile shone through her dark haze and she nodded.

"Yes. I'm very happy in my time and I will be looking forward to seeing them when the portal opens in one moon cycle." She rubbed at her cheeks and stood. Her face is once again perfectly composed. She sets her jaw and walks quickly past him and down the hall. Her shoulders were thrown back and her chin was tilted high.

He noted that she held herself like a noble and when he entered his room and prepared his body for bed, he completely forgot he had offered his dreaded half-brother a night stay. He could feel the dread pooling in his stomach. Tomorrow would be a long day.

**FillerFillerFiller. Sorry for all mistakes, I'm only human.**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I Don't own InuYasha.

Yuzuki's eyes fluttered around before opening to an unfamiliar room. Her muscles coiled until she remembered the night before and sighed. This was going to be a long month.

She stood quietly and opened the wardrobe. The few articles clothing were monotone colors and looked to be old training gear and sleeping garb. Her fathers, she realized, whom ever was assigned to clean this room must have forgotten them. She reached out and plucked one from its perch, the blue fabric worn and smooth under her fingers.

She peeled off the sweat soaked pants and shirt she had worn through the Vortex. She had seen the strange glances the servants had given her; it must be strange for a woman to wear pants in this time. She slid the clothes on over her bra and underwear and tossed the remainder of her possessions in the corner. She would burn them later. None of her things could remain in this time when she was to leave.

Her fingers gripped the holster at her thigh and pulled a folded photo from its many pockets. It was of a family, a regal man standing tall and holding a child in his arms, her, beside him stood an equally regal woman, though her stance was less royal and more proud. She was facing the man and holding a child in her arms as well as rubbing the back of another at her feet.

"I'll get you two together, mother, I promise." She muttered, folding the picture back up as a knock sounded at the door. She slid it open and startled the little girl looking up at her curiously before her mouth slit into a large lopsided grin. Yuzuki knew this woman from the numerous paintings done of her as a child that were scattered around the Palace.

"You look like my Lord." She sighed, giggling lightly before glancing behind her and into the room. Yuzuki turned sideways and held out her hand, an open invitation for Rin to enter.

"You are Rin." The small child nodded and ran a hand over a solid wooden desk in the far corner of the sprawling room. It looked strange to Yuzuki when not covered in her foreign scrolls and ancient artifacts. When she snapped out of her trance, she noticed the girl had sat on the bed and looked up to the ceiling. "Did you know, this was once my fathers room?"

She shook her head and perked up at the mention of Sesshomaru. Yuzuki moved to the wardrobe and pulled out an old scarf, used for when pups are to young to fight off the cold completely. She walked over to Rin and placed it around her neck. The girl's rosy cheeks turned a deeper scarlet before she laughed and buried her head into the fabric.

"Mi'Lord wants you to come to breakfast with him." Rin said, hopping off of the bed and padding to the door. She glanced back before exiting the room. "Come soon, everyone is waiting. Except InuYasha. He won't wake up."

"Oh dear." She muttered, the reality of the situation making her stomach tighten in fear and her head to pound. Once she promised the girl she would come down, Rin left Yuzuki to panic by herself. "You can do this. It's just like talking to a younger and more volatile father."

"You can do this!" Her pep talk gave her the courage to stand and walk to the door before she raced back to the bed and sat down. "I can't do this. What was father thinking when he sent me here!"

_He was thinking you could do this_, she thought, standing again, grabbing her swords, and marching to the door and then down the hall. She knew where the dining hall was but got confused a few times by the lack of built hallways. Once she finally found it, she could hear the scrapping of utensils and the sipping of tea.

She stood tall and slid the door open before walking to her place to the side of her father, who eyed her clothing choice with interest but not disapproval. She plucked food from the large plates in the middle before setting them down into her bowl. The others at the table, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, followed her movements. The self-made leader of the group was no where to be found. Kagome, the bravest of the group, sat her bowl down and pointed her inquisitive glance at Yuzuki.

"Did you have trouble finding this place?" She asked, waiting patiently for her answer. When Yuzuki placed her cup of tea back down, she shook her head.

"Oh no, but there are many halls that need constructed before this is the home I am from." She sent a wink in the direction of her father, who promptly ignored it. She wanted to smack her head on the table but resisted, knowing it would only make him more disappointed.

"How did you get here?" Sango asked, her eyes constantly flickering to the demons shadows placed outside the doors. Even when eating, she was on guard. "I did not think such a thing was possible."

"Science. The future holds many things." She chided, taking a bite and answering questions as they were asked. How old was she? 452 years old. Does she have siblings? Yes. What are their names? No comment.

"Does your father love your mother?" The question was almost silent and asked only when she thought it might be overshadowed, but it caught Yuzuki's keen ear and she gazed at the miko with wide eyes. Kagome blushed under the woman scrutiny and muttered to forget it.

"Very much." She whispered. And the whole table seemed to fall into a hush as Yuzuki cast her golden gaze from Kagome to her father who watched her every move. "My father loves my mother very much."

She stood and excused herself, carefully standing as to not jostle the bowls on the table. All eyes followed her trail to the door where she exited quickly before thanking the guards and racing down the hall. Sesshomaru listened to her footsteps as they padded over the wooden halls. She turned a corner and came to a stop before spinning on her heels and racing in a different direction. She finally stopped at the garden.

"Excuse me." He stated and left much the same way as his daughter had, quickly and neatly. While he didn't thank the guards, he did nod his head before moving briskly in his daughters general direction. The hushed shuffling and the loud clank came from the room he had just exited and before he knew it, the miko was trailing him down the hall.

"Just go easy on her." She pleaded, her motherly instincts kicking in even though she was only twenty-two and the girl in question was over four hundred. "Everything she thought she knew was ripped out from under her. Her loving father is...harsher. Her mother is nonexistent and her family is not even born yet. Let me talk to her. You can stand guard."

His face didn't seem to change but after being in his presence for the past two years hunting Naraku, she began to see the numerous nuances in his muscles. His lip would slightly curl when he found something to be distasteful or he would blink more often around those he put more trust in. It was a language she alone seemed to grasp.

He tilted his head and turned, offering him a spot by his side. She hid her gasp of surprise and moved fluidly to fill the slot. It was not often that Sesshomaru thought people to be his equal.

"Does she dislike me? Am I inadequate?" He asked, not looking at her but asking nevertheless. He did this sometimes, when they were alone or he was curious, he would converse with her because she was, to quote, 'more knowledgeable then the rest'. She took it as a compliment.

"I think she is just as thrown off by you as you are of her." She suggested and he was once again, shocked by her insight. He had learned she was widely versed in many things, and wondered how a woman of her standard and status could learn such things. She claimed it was a necessity in her village. "I'll go butter her up, and then you come in."

"You will cover my daughter with churned cream? What point will that serve?" He was once again thrown off by her odd way of speech. Even after the years they spend together, he failed to grasp her modern slang.

"Oh, it means I will make you look good." She explained as they turned the corner and her mouth started flapping. She had yet to see most of the Palace considering she had been half dead when they dragged her carcass into the hospital and got her fixed up. So when she saw the main garden, she was more then pleasantly surprised.

Blooms of every color lined the paths that wound into the large and gnarled cherry blossom trees stationed at select intervals. A large pond swirled at the center of the boxed in Eden and before it, a girl in blue. She had reached a hand in and watched as the ripples swirled outward from her finger tips.

"I am fine." Yuzuki claimed, standing and spinning around to face them. Her hair was pulled to the top of her head in a poorly done ponytail and Sesshomaru noticed how much like his mother she looked. Her cheeks were pink and her claws flexed as is she stood. "I would much rather be in my dojo but it seems it has yet to be built. This is my mothers favorite place, so I came here."

"I can see why." Kagome muttered, stepping off the raised wooden decking surrounding the garden and onto the warm grass. She laughed and Sesshomaru was taken back by the joy it seemed to contain. It was just grass.

"You remind me of her." Yuzuki smiled and laughed. Kagome tore at her shoes until the tight laces came undone and they slid from her feet. She padded to the pond and Sesshomaru mused how she had strayed from the plan. He saw no buttering.

"Of your mother? I think we would just get along splendidly if she invited me to come here!" She giggled and dipped a finger into the water and watched the small colorful minnows flutter about her finger.

"It takes little to amuse you." Sesshomaru commented and both woman shot angry glares his direction. Yuzuki shot back a sassy remark.

"Well unlike men, woman don't always kill things to keep themselves entertained." She chided and Kagome didn't know who was more shocked, herself or Sesshomaru. His daughter went about her business, whistling and humming and completely ignoring they fact she needed to say something.

"What is it Yuzuki?" Kagome asked, standing up and brushing her wet hands on her hospital garb. She didn't notice Sesshomaru glancing at her in confusion.

"I need a sword commissioned." She stuttered out, swinging back and forth on the balls of her feet. "I know we have all the things for it, and the money, but the man that has to make it is...lets say MIA."

Sesshomaru huffed at his lack of knowledge and got defensive when Kagome leaned in and whispered the definition to him. Again, he questioned how she could decipher his daughter's future talk.

"If you have the sword in your time, then you shouldn't have to have them made now." Kagome pondered, thinking over her research into time travel from when she could actually return to her time. Now she was stuck.

"They were gifted to me by an unnamed benefactor on my hundredth birthday. Only now do I realize the person was me. I made myself the perfect pair of swords for myself." She snorted and planted her hands on her hips before promptly letting them drop to her sides when she caught Sesshomaru's eye.

"Ironic."

The voice was stern and cold, and definitely not from the party of three standing in the garden. All but Sesshomaru spun around to greet the woman who had entered the garden.

Sesshomaru's mother was a sight to behold. Her hair was thick and white and her skin was flawless and pure. Her mouth was painted a vibrant red to accentuate her full lips and make her slightly clouded eyes shine. Her hair was placed into an intricate up-do, two braids swirled about her head around the countless clips and pins. The bobbles clinked together as she walked. Two demons trailed after her, one held an umbrella and the other carried a small pouch.

"Not really." Yuzuki commented and the demoness tilted her head to the side, like she was not used to being contradicted and she raised an eyebrow as it inviting her to explain where she had went wrong. Sesshomaru shot a glare in her direction, but his daughter ignored it and answered anyway. "Irony is having the opposite of the expected reaction to happen. This situation would not fit into those parameters."

The woman nodded and moved forward, causing her entourage to shuffle forwards as well. Kimiko grabbed her granddaughters chin and shifted it side to side.

"It really is uncanny how similar you two are." She remarked, a smirk pulling at her perfectly painted lips.

"To Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked and his mother laughed and shook her head. When she said no, her trinkets in her hair made a multitude of small chimes.

"No to-" Her voice was cut off by Yuzuki shaking her head almost violently. Kimiko smirked again before glancing over to her suspicious son. His eyebrows knit together and his eyes showed interest. "Your father."

Her coverup was pathetic and fooled no one, but all who wanted to ask knew they would get no answer. Kimiko nodded and glided slowly over the tiled path and up the wooden steps, her feet making no noise. They party of three was quiet until she left.

"Why can't your father know who his special someone is?" Kagome finally question and was happy when Yuzuki replied.

"Because he will mate her out of his misguided sense of duty and not because he truly loves her!" She explained, huffing and puffing at her again stoic father. "As for my sword, I need to go into dragon territory because my blades are crafted in a dragon's breath. I will be leaving tomorrow."

Her tone left no opinion and Kagome wondered how she ever doubted their relation. She was similar to him in many ways, but different in others. She walked out of the garden and left Kagome and Sesshomaru in an awkward silence. She nodded her head politely and moved to the side to escape down one of the vast halls when a strong hand wrapped around her arm.

"I wish to thank you." He ground out the words like they might bite him but once he said them, he glanced down to make sure she understood just how great a feat that was. She seemed to be completely stunned and nodded blindly.

She blinked her eyes and in a heartbeat, he was gone, leaving only a gust of wind in his wake and a frozen and slightly happy miko. She didn't even get to say you're welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Sesshomaru watched his daughter with cold eyes. The gathered nobles sitting around the room watched as his daughter bowed before him, ready to receive her coming of age mission.

It was a challenge for all pups past their two hundredth birthday and since she was well over that age, the nobles demanded traditions be upheld. Yuzuki was tight lipped and even from the raised dais he could make out the hard line of her clenched jaw. She was kneeing on the first steps and he let his eyes wander for a second to take in the cruel faces of the nobles and the miko who had cleverly masked her presence and hidden in the corner.

"I have called you all hear to usher in a new age. While she has come to us under peculiar circumstances, I want to introduce my daughter and heir, Yuzuki of the Western Lands." He finished and raised a hand, gesturing for her to stand. She rose and the robe placed on her shoulders slid down her back and coiled into a purple pile at her feet. The dress she wore hugged her waist and brushed the ground.

Her teeth pulled back from her fangs when a few of the nobles sons shot lustful glances at her along with their fathers. Her hands were folded before her and her back was straight. She spun around and met each and every hard stare and pointed glare they could throw at her. They all reluctantly bowed their head in silent respect for the bravery she showed.

"As she his far since passes the Age of Challenges, she will be tested with a quest of my choosing." His voice was loud and commanding, strong enough to catch the wandering attention of the men and woman in the room but soft enough as not to offend them. After he roamed the room a few times, his eyes landed on Yuzuki and he nodded once. She moved smoothly up the steps and Kagome thought it looked like she was floating. "She will train a team of men that I so chose then head east to crush a rouge rebellion of remain dragon loyalist. It is rumored that ten or so have survived and as such, they pose a potential threat to your rule. You will capture and secure them before they are tried before the council. While there, you will craft two swords for your heir."

She glanced up and Sesshomaru saw the fear flash in her eyes before she masked it and dropped her head back to the floor. She feared she couldn't complete the mission placed before her and Sesshomaru felt his heart lurch in his chest and his beast rattle its celestial cage, demanding it kill whatever had hurt her.

Kagome held a hand to her mouth and she was both to step out of her hiding spot to comfort the girl when a hand placed itself on her shoulder. She jerked around and stared at Kimiko who never let her eyes falter from her sons face. She smirked happily when she saw the confusion swimming in his eyes and the excessive force he was placing on the throne's armrests. Good, melt his heart which he encased in ice.

"Wait." She whispered, removing her perfectly manicured hand from Kagome's shoulder and taking a step back. She melded with the wall and her eyes seemed to glow from the darkness of the corner.

The setting sun cast long shadows over the wooden floor and set the Lord and his daughter in a bath of rich oranges and burnt reds. The color of crimson cast deep lines on his face and her partially exposed back and hair. From her position, both heirs looked to be on fire.

"I accept."

Her words were greeted with a cheer and a few disgruntled scoffs from a few of the nobles. Kagome felt pride well up in her chest even through the girl with neither her family nor child.

Kimiko watched the miko's watery smile at Yuzuki's bravery and strength and clapped quietly with the rest of the guests, her large bracelets rattling together. Sesshomaru felt a small smirk curl the corner of his mouth and he knew he rest of the room was far to enamored with the thought of the party sure to come at the heir's return.

He sighed at the thought of mailing out all the invitations to the other Lands and having to explain their situation. It was challenging enough to invite the gather nobles. He wondered idly while the guests shuffled out and to the wagons and horses waiting for them outside. A few just transformed and romped their way down the mountain slope. Most lived less than a few miles away.

"Did I do well?" Yuzuki asked and he noticed her face was a deep red. The calm and strong demeanor slipped off and the heir before him was a scared and worried girl who needed her father, not him. He tried to stop his hand, by his inner demon won, and purred contently when his palm landed lightly on her shoulder. He knew it to be a gesture of solidarity, but it had a profound impact on her fear and soon she was no longer his daughter, but a heir once again.

"Great job!" The miko raced forward when all the nobles had left before wrapping her arms around Yuzuki's neck, leaving Sesshomaru confused as to why his beast was not getting angry that a priestess was so close to his daughter.

Yuzuki laughed and patted one of Kagome's hands. The miko untangled her arms from her shoulders before promptly smiling and asking for details about the party that would follow her homecoming.

Sesshomaru found himself watching her lips form words with rapt detail.

TUH

The sun blared down onto the sparing field and Yuzuki sat in training clothes wondering when her father would get here with her half dozen men. She hoped they were at least a bit trained, she didn't know what she would do if they couldn't fight or at least watch her back.

"I thought a lady never sits on the ground." The voice came from behind her and she let her head fall back to catch InuYasha's eye. A smile a raked across her parched lips and he was taken back by how happy to seemed to be at seeing him. She leaned back and rocked her body to propel herself forward and onto her feet. The six men trailing her uncle started clapping.

"You got an entourage?" She asked, pointing to the haphazard looking group. She planted her hands on her hips and squinted her eyes to get a better look.

"Nope," The smug tone was the first warning bell and by the time he finished, her whole head was ringing. "They're yours."

"Oh hell no." She bluntly stated, hissing when she raised a hand to her forehead to get a better look. The first man was well-kept with blond hair and dark skin. His rich brown eyes followed her movements with sharp precision, giving away his bird demon heritage.

The second and third were twins with hair red as the koi in her mothers pond. Their faces were thin and their bodies, malnourished. She smiled a bit when she caught a sly smirk light up their faces and make their many freckles pop. It would be interesting to travel with people of fox blood; they are known to be far to clever for their own good.

A girl was standing strait but even with her large heels and hair tasseled high, she was still a good foot shorter than the men surrounding her, but what she lacked in height, she replenished in ferocity. Her pink eyes glowed like coals as she met Yuzuki's questioning gaze.

The very tall man towered over her but as she caught his eye, she was surprised to see him smiling kindly down to her. His white eyes looked right through her and she was shocked to realize he was blind. The man at his side growled when she took a step back.

The soldier standing to her back raised his sword but the heir just waved him away with a twist of her wrist before pinning a glowering look at the white haired, silver eyed man who placed his hand protectively on the blind man's cane.

"So this is what I am given." She muttered, folding her hands behind her back. The twins had shoved a paper bomb into the pants of pretty boy who had pulled out a mirror. The woman held her head up high and clutched the huge spear in her small hands but screamed when the paper ignited and the man fell to the ground clutching his crotch.

The blind man tilted his head to the side and looked in the direction of the very high pitched yells. He pulled a pare of carved glasses from the folds of his shirt and placed them over his eyes, turning to face her.

"Someone should help that poor girl."

**FYI, all of the names I use have special meaning.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Sesshomaru watched with a raised eyebrow at the training session. His daughter had tired training with swords but the practice had disintegrated when one sword turned into a snake and another pooled into a pile of beetles. Yuzuki just smacked her hand to her forehead and tried once again to get the attention of the girl and the man squealing atop the table.

"So...why are you hiding?" The miko asked, stepping out from behind the shrubbery. Blue fabric rustled when she moved and when she cocked her hip on a bush so she could watch the group train. She snorted. "Where did you find them?"

"I found the lowest ranking then sorted out the most worthless." He stated, never letting his eyes stray from the perfect form his daughter was trying to teach to the bickering crowd of six.

"Surely you would not give her such untrainable men." She jested, letting her head rest on the bush and he watched as the wind caused it to catch on exposed branches. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for his answer.

"She has no confidence in her leadership abilities. This will test her resolve to lead the West." He explained, confused as to why he would tell her his plan when he wouldn't even reveal it to his closest advisors.

As she glanced at Yuzuki, he watched her. He noticed the slight twitch in her upper lip when Yuzuki made a particularly pretty move with a sword and was taken back by the warm coiling feeling that was building in his lower stomach.

"What?" She asked when she caught his curious gaze and glanced down at her clothing to make sure he wasn't pointing out a stain or something equally mortifying. When she looked back at him, his eyes had wandered back to the girl corralling her rambunctious group of mighty warriors back to the practice dummies.

She shifted her stance and he could tell from the slumped set of her shoulders that she felt dejected. His beast shifted in its cage, swatting a large paw in the miko's direction, like it wanted to stop the oncoming tears which he could smell in her ducts.

"I do not like the scent of salt." He tried but she only glanced up at him to convey confusion and when she sniffled, a blush clouded her cheeks and she understood he meant not to cry. She hiccuped out a few 'I'm sorry"'s before turning around to leave.

"But I might just tolerate it." He felt the words fly from his mouth without his consent but he was rewarded with her sniffling a few times and raising her head high before standing next to him. Her heat was comforting in the overbearing chill of the day and the scent of laundry cleaner drifted between the few feet between them. It smelt like cherries.

"Her mother must to something." Kagome murmured, more to herself then Sesshomaru and blushed when he tilted his head in question. She rushed out an explanation. "I mean that to catch your eye, she would have to be exceptionally beautiful."

"This Sesshomaru puts very little thought into material looks." He corrected her and felt a satisfied smirk tug up to corner of his lips at her slightly shocked expression. "Mind over matter."

"That is really deep. You must just love poetry." She asked, leaning forward to get a better look at his face. When he tilted his head to catch her eye, she maneuvered away from him. He nodded once and she continued with her train of thought. "I like a bit of poetry but sometimes it seems as if the author is more picky about the sound of the words then the correctness of their statement."

"You are educated?" His surprise seemed to anger her and when her cheeks grew rosy with hostility, he stopped the instinct to make her submit.

"No, all those books I was reading during our travels were for childbirth, yes I'm educated!" She huffed and neither noticed the seven pairs of eyes all trained in their direction, nor did they see the sly curl of Yuzuki's mouth when their argument caused them to lean forward a bit. "I was doing fine until-"

"Until?" He questioned, tilting his head.

"Until I traveled here." She finished, huffing and marching off in a different direction then Sesshomaru. She could feel the anger cloud her mind and was even more furious at the heat consuming her tummy. She stomped her feet on the ground a few times and then moved on to crossing and uncrossing her arms.

This did little good because every time she so much as blinked, the damn mental image of a smirking Sesshomaru was imprinted into retinas. This was like her crush on InuYasha all over again, and look how well that had ended up, with her broken hearted and with her best friend and worst enemy together.

She felt guilty for thinking bad of the miko who gave her life to kill Naraku but didn't retract her statement. She decided to pay a visit to InuYasha, the only member of the group to not recharge and recuperate in the beautiful palace, who refused to leave his room besides to grab the meals from outside the door and to point Yuzuki's six lost fighters in the right direction.

As she navigated the halls, she caught the detached end of a conversation. She slowed her pace and started moving quietly over the floorboards like Sango had shown her until she could pop her head around the corner.

InuYasha was in the hall, crouching besides a small girl, her red hair seemed to be on fire. Kagome wanted to make her presence known, but both demons seemed oblivious to her. She cleared her throat and InuYasha jumped up followed shortly after by the girl.

"Hello, I'm Kagome, who are you?" She asked politely, holding out her hand to get her name. The girl just shook her head and shot off down the hall in the direction of the kitchens.

"Good going, it took me a whole _week_ to get her to sit with me, let alone talk to me." He scoffed, planting his hands on his hips before sliding to the ground across from her. She followed suit and both sighed at the same time.

"Are you ok?" She finally built up enough courage to ask and when she looked into InuYasha's eyes, she could see how pale he had gotten. His skin seemed to sag and the once healthy glow of brown to his skin had faded along with his apatite. His silver hair had lost its luster and stood limp at his sides and looked as if it hadn't been washed in a while.

She stood up and grabbed InuYasha's arm before dragging him up and down the hall. The public bathhouse was around here somewhere. Once she located the correct door she pushed him inside and right into the pool, completely dressed.

"What the hell woman?!" He yelled, pushing the dripping locks of hair from his face. His red fire rat robes clung to scrawny arms and tight skin. With the added weight of the water, he appeared to fold in on himself. To her, he seemed like a shadow of his former self.

"Bath time." She whispered, moving forward to tug at his robes. When he was left only in his undergarments, she grabbed soap from the rock shells and rubbed it into his scalp. He rested his head back and let her ministrations lull him to sleep.

While he was still very handsome and very naked, she felt no attraction to him. Right now, he needed a friend, not a silly teenage girl. Never mind she was both.

"Thank you." He whispered, letting his head rest on her knee. She had placed her feet into the pool and he had sat between her legs in the water. The gurgle of the natural spring caused his head to dip before he finally slipped into oblivion.

Her muscles were tired and through the narrow cracks in the wood paneling, she could see it was getting dark. She wondered if she would stay here all night with a sleeping puppy in her lap.

She was almost unsurprised when Sesshomaru came in less then an hour later. He carefully plucked his brother from the water and vanished through the door. It was a few minutes later that her reappeared and held out a hand for her. She didn't take it right away but looked at the dark ripples in the bath instead.

"Do you think he will be ok?" She asked, glancing up.

He didn't respond right away but instead waited a few seconds, as if he was thinking. Once he seemed to settle on a single answer he opened his mouth the answer.

"He will live." He decided and that caused a small smile to grace her lips but it was not a happy smile, it was sad and twisted, not real. He didn't like it.

"Yes, I suppose he will. But that doesn't mean he will be alive." She replied with the cryptic comment and this time he was only slightly taken back by her insight. Kagome blushed wildly when he squatted and picked her up.

She pushed at his arms but he was much to strong. She didn't want to hurt him with her miko powers, so she fell back, limp in his arms. The hall was empty and the only time they saw another soul, the maid gasped and quickly dropped into a low bow.

"You don't have to be so nice." She informed him when they reached her door. He just refused to meet her eye and instead focused on the courtyard her room overlooked.

"This Sesshomaru understands emotions often tax their human counterparts." He explained, glancing very briefly at her face before staring back down the hall.

"Goodnight." This time her grin was rueful and made her rich eyes twinkle. He watched as she slid the door closed. Her heavy breathing could be heard through the thin wall and he knew she was leaning on the door, listening for his retreating footsteps. He granted her wish with a rueful smirk of his own.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Yuzuki had left that morning, her merry band of men following drearily behind her after a mere week of training. Kagome had woken at the crack of dawn to see them off along with Sesshomaru and Sango. Both InuYasha and Miroku remained curled up in their beds.

Once the rising sun made it to difficult to see their outlines, servants lead them to eat breakfast. The food was piled high and the extravagant plates and glasses made it seem like a small party rather then a quick meal.

Kagome smiled happily when InuYasha shuffled in and squatted at the end of the table; the seat across from his brother who had taken the head of the table. His lips just tilted up in response to her grin. The table still remained quiet and Kagome snuck a few glances at Sesshomaru. His eyes kept glancing at the door, like he was expecting a messenger to inform him his daughter had failed. Her mouth opened without her content.

"She will be fine." Her eyes widened and she instantly looked down at her bowl and shoveled food into her mouth. He just nodded and took a few tentative bites before standing and excusing himself. She silently cursed herself. "Oh Sesshomaru, wait!"

She raced after him and caught him about to enter his study. His body tightened and he didn't look back at her, only tilting his head slightly to the side to let her know he was listening.

"If I'm stuck here, I want to be able to help people. To do that, I need to better myself with my bow. Could I use your range?" She asked, crossing her fingers behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels. She had seen the targets when they had first arrived and noticed the lack of use and the new equipment.

"All the equipment is at your use." He said loudly before entering and shutting the door firmly. She jumped a bit when the wood clashed but nodded and went to finish her breakfast in peace.

TUH

"Come on men! Woman!" Yuzuki yelled, waving a hand to get them to speed up considering all but one had lagged behind. The fox twins, Hiraku and Hiroaki, gasped for breath and clutched at their shirts which had become drenched in sweat. The only one in the group who seemed ok was Cho, the small girl with the large spear.

Kazuki and his dog demon companion Takeshi made steady progress at the back of the group and never wavered unlike Katsuo. The blond man heaved and sweated and started to gradually fall back.

"Miss, if we might...slow down?" He pleaded, pushing his sweaty locks out of his eyes and folding his hands together in prayer. She sighed and stopped, her group yelping happily before throwing themselves down onto the ground.

"My father really expects me to lead you?" She demanded and she felt the cold curl of regret when she caught their down turned eyes. She quickly revised her sentences. "I could have gotten worse."

"Yeah! I know this man that was in my battalion, he couldn't hold a sword because he had so many muscles." Cho provided, her clipped hair flaring out when she spun her head around and waited for someone else to add a comment. She was unprepared when it was her supervisor.

"Sounds like my first mating offer." She provided and Hiraku and Hiroaki laughed. Her eyes squinted at the setting sun and she nodded at their progress. "You ran farther than I had planned. We are ahead of schedule."

"That's good right?" Kazuki asked, fixing his haphazard shawl and grabbing his cane from his belt. He smiled when she did, sensing her slight change in attitude. "So to become a fluid and well-working unit, we need to know things about each other. Who would like to start?"

"Don't all go at once." Takeshi joked before piling sticks into a tepee and igniting them with a match. The group gathered close to ward off the cold creeping in at the suns retreat across the sky.

"I guess I will have to be the biggest person." Yuzuki muttered, wiping her hands on her pants to reduce the sweat that had started to build there. "When I was a pup, I was known to find the best places to hind and would stay there for hours. Once, I was lost for six hours because I had fallen asleep. My mother about tore me to shreds for that."

The group laughed but the underlying question was on the tip of everyone's lips. Just who was this mysterious woman so beloved in the future and yet unknown in is time.

"My mother started crying when she saw I was placed into the Heir's personal regiment." Cho shared, her pale cheeks flushing prettily and complimenting her pink eyes. She lowered her head and Yuzuki laughed. "She was so proud."

"I hope I can live up to her expectations." She sighed and poked at the glowing flames. She watched the fire lick its way up the wood and devours it, reading only white powder in its wake. She snapped out of her trace when Katsuo spoke.

"My father expects greatness. You should have seen his face when he saw how completely useless I was with a sword." She watched his face with a keen eye and noted the tightness of his shoulders and the slight glaze to his eyes. She refused to explain to a confused Cho that his father was abusive.

"I guess our sob story is next." Hiraku hummed, placing a hand on his chin as he though about where to start. "My brother and I are both very troublesome-"

"Completely useless really."

"-So our parents sent us to become men." Hiraku finished while his brother made exaggerated measures meant to look masculine. After a few flexes, they settled down to munch on their packed jerky. They all looked expectantly at the owl and the dog sitting off to the side.

"I never agreed to tell you anything." Takeshi growled, his hand still resting on his sword as if he expected a surprise attack. Kazuki consoled him quietly before laughing it off.

"We travel together and though it might be nice to settle down somewhere." No one commented on their situation but instead finished their meals and readied their tents and bedrolls.

The team stayed quiet as the sun sunk below the horizon and remained silent until one by one the slipped into sleep. Yuzuki was the last to shut her eyes, much to busy planning how she was going to pull this off.

While she was a brilliant diplomat, she was nowhere as good as her mother nor did she have the leverage her father had. Her wits could only go so far. She interlocked her fingers and prayed to any gods listening to let her pass this.

TUH

The bow was pulled taunt and her eyes looked steadily at the straw man over two hundred yards away. She had hit a target farther but she thought to take it slow and build up the calluses on her finger tips.

Her shoulders set back and her stomach clenched. Her arm was drawn back and the horse hair brushed her lip. The arrow was released and embedded itself the targets's gut with surprising accuracy. Her fist was thrown up into the air and her happy dance was interrupted by a throat clearing.

InuYasha had watched her from a distance and approached only after he was sure she wouldn't accidentally shoot him. He held up his hands in surrender and was happy to see her smile again. She hadn't been her normal cheerful self since the well had closed and she had lost her family.

"Oh, InuYasha, I didn't know you were here." Her cheeks stained pink and her hands hid themselves behind her hips, taking the bow with them. Her eyes squinted and she leaned forward a bit before covering her forehead with a hand to get a better look behind him into the darkness. "Looks like you've got a shadow."

His brows knitted together and he glanced over his shoulder, surprised to she a bright head of hair duck behind a rock. He sighed and turned back to face her.

"Quit smiling like that, she's just taken a likening to me." He disregarded and planted his hands on his hips to stop the blush climbing up his neck. She just laughed and plucked an arrow from her quiver.

He watched with warm eyes as she drew it back, knocked the arrow into position, and let it fly; the fletching making the arrow wiz through the air until it skimmed the wood off her previous shot.

"You've improved." He laughed and glanced over at her, surprised to see her gazing, confused, at the hill. He swiveled his head and caught the backlash of his brothers hair as the slight breeze carried it. "What did he want?"

She blinked owlishly a few times before shaking her head as if trying to physically shake off his brothers eyes. When he asked her again she remained quiet before letting another arrow imbed itself into the targets head. He had a feeling The Lord of the West was who she imagined when letting the arrow fly.

"What, you and the bastard fighting or something? I didn't even know you two got along all that well..." He squatted down onto the grass and leaned back, taking a few blades in his hand and letting the wind carry me away.

"He has a way with words." Her whisper was barely heard and he raised a single eyebrow but she didn't chose to explain. They stayed side by side for the rest of the night, two friends talking about their glory days.

**I love writing InuYasha and Kagome friendship scenes.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

"Hold your ground!" Yuzuki's voice bounced off the trees and her order fell on deaf ears. Half of her party held their arms or stomachs where large gashes leaked crimson blood. The heir swung the broad side of her sword down onto an attackers head and listened to the sickening crack it made when it connected.

Her group formed a circle and even in the midst of battle, she felt a pride that they remembered something from her training. Her ankle had been dislocated and hung limply. The demons surrounding her laughed and taunted and she could feel her temper rising at the fact she let them get the better of her.

They had jumped the group in the early morning hours. She had not woken up because of the nightmare she'd had. Her fingers tightened around the hilt and the jewels dug into her scared palm.

"Ok. Cho, you follow me and Twins take right. The rest hold the left." She muttered, pulling the second sword from its scabbard. It's familiar weight made some of the fear pumping through her veins deteriorate and she motioned to the others around her.

They nodded and Takeshi went so far as to laugh. An insane bubble of giggles was yanked from Cho's mouth and the others soon followed. When it died down, the group was smiling, their teeth sharp and bared for the thieves.

"Now!" Yuzuki yelled and it came out a loud roar. Her team dispersed in different direction. The dog demon spun expertly on his heels and sliced deep into the arm of an unlucky man. Kazuki slid a long and thin sword from his hollowed cane. His arm swung down in a beautiful arch, severing off a leg and effectively stopping the man from digging his ax into the back of Takeshi.

Cho screamed and raced into the tree line with men on her heels. Yuzuki was about to abandon her post and race after her until the men's bodies flew through the air and landed at her feet. Cho let out a battle call and raced at another few who were foolish enough to think they stood a chance.

She glanced around worriedly for Katsuo but found he had abandoned his sword and taken up an axe and swung it around his head. She watched his sloppy footwork but noticed the sort of elegance he showed with his hands. She made a mental reminder to teach him the proper way to heft an ax.

Once the fighting ended, she shuffled over to her exhausted and battered group. She fell stiffly onto the ground and looked over her wounds. She could feel the blood already starting to clot and she gave a silent thanks to whatever deity was watching over her for the lack of poison in the wounds.

They set up camp slowly, each member doing as much as they could. Cho had a nasty gash on her forehead which Katsuo rubbed ointment on carefully. He threw glances down at her face by she never caught his eye most likely because her face was the color of a cherry.

The whole group turned a blind eye when Takeshi sat behind Kazuki and lifted his shirt. The thin slash marks were starting to pucker but at an unusual angle. The dog demon leaned down and ran his tongue along the mark and hummed contently when it healed completely leaving only a small pink line in its place. While the rest of the team licked their own wounds, the two tended each other.

It was an act that left a squirming feeling in Yuzuki's stomach. It was not the first time she had seen companions heal the others wounds, she had watched her parents do it on many occasions, but it made her heart lurch a bit.

She had to get the twins to hold her down and pop her dislocated ankle back into place. She clenched her teeth but took the pain. She refused the healing cream and licked her own wounds, thinking over what it would be like to trust someone so much to tent to her.

"We will move at dawn." She hissed, rubbing the flayed skin of her upper arm and chewing her lip.

The only good thing to come from the fight was the feeling of intimacy between the group. Yuzuki noticed the absence of the thick awkwardness that normally cover them all. The wounds seemed to bind them together and connected them. The twins bore matching cheek cuts and Cho had a gash on her upper thigh. Katsuo's bicep was covered in scratches and when he tugged his bloody shirt off, he showed those watching the many tattoos on his back. Takeshi helped an exhausted Kazuki up and they hobbled together to a tent.

The others followed close behind. She waited by the dying fire until she heard all of their quiet breathing even out in sleep before she shuffled to her designated tent and snuggled into the thick blankets.

That night she dreamt of onyx eyes, olive skin, and crackling flames.

TUH

Kagome pulled the scroll from its cubby and unrolled it. The calligraphy was beautiful and the golden background made the words shimmer. She read the characters carefully before replacing it and tugging another from its place.

Sessomaru had demanded to teach his brother the correct way to hold a sword and InuYasha relented after a little resistance. She could hear his curses all the way from her place in the library and smiled when Sesshomaru scolded him.

The guests started arriving yesterday and Kagome had to excuse herself after the Northern Lord, Gorai, proceeded to grab her ass at the introduction ceremony. She growled at the thought and roughly shoved the scroll back into its place and marched down the hall. She turned sharply and nearly collided with a small maid who scurried under her large pile of towels. Kagome reached out to steady her and she squeaked before bowing low.

Both apologized profusely before Kagome just shook her head and placed a reassuring hand on the girls shoulder. She repeated over and over that it was fine before the girl stopped hyperventilating and bowing.

"Can you tell me what you all do for fun around here?" Kagome asked and watched the girl smile a bit. She nodded and pointed in the direction she came from.

"A potion Mage. She can make you dream things." She whispered, smiling shyly and tucking pieces of her bright red hair behind her ear. Kagome remembered with a start where she had seen this woman before.

"You are InuYasha's shadow!" She muttered, smiling. The girl's mouth drooped and her eyes widened with fear before she shook her head franticly and hummed a constant stream of no. "It's fine. Is that who these towels are for?"

"Him and Lord Sesshomaru. He likes to bathe after practice." She said tentatively and when asked for how long, she placed her dainty hands on her chin and thought. "About an hour. Why?"

"Because I'm not waiting an hour for him to tell me what my job for this party is. How long does a single session of that Mage guy take?" She hummed and smiled when the girl said about an hour. Kagome followed her directions and winked at her as she passed, muttering that she should go cheer InuYasha up.

The halls wound through one another. She passed a small garden managed by an old demon in a wide brimmed hat. She waved kindly as Kagome passed. She knew she reached the correct hallway when a hanging bird skull smacked into her forehead. She cringed and batted it away before watching the emblem swing on its colorful rope. The brightly colored feathers that dangled from the line fluttered in the light breeze and she kept rapt attention on the ceiling while making her way down the rest of the hallway.

Her fingers barely brushed the wood when the door opened and a woman stumbled out. Her cheeks were rosy and her hands clenched and unclenched in her dress. Her eyes were hazy but a wide smile was plastered on her face. Kagome was about to assist her back to her room when a hand shot out from the darkness behind her and dragged her into the room. The door shut and the woman's content sigh drifted through the wood.

"Why have you come to me?" The woman asked, her long pipe puffing out tendrils of thick pink smoke. The smell of jasmine wafted from her and she smiled keenly. "I know. You wish to see if my magic is true?"

"Something like that." She muttered looking around. A bed was pushed to the side and covered in pillows and down blankets. Heavy tapestries covered the windows and let no light shine in. A window seat was laden with cushions and she motioned to ether.

Kagome moved to the window seat and sat down carefully. The cautions were soft and plush. She kicked off her shoes and spread her toes in the fabric. She wondered if she could order her bed roll to be made from this fabric and right when she looked up to ask, the woman began ruffling around in her cabinets.

"First, lavender for prolonged enjoyment of the dream." Se placed a bowl at Kagome's feet and lit it with the butt of her pipe. The flowers burned lowly and the flames flickered blue before dying out and leaving behind a cloudy smoke that made the air heavy.

Kagome fluttered her eyes a few times and the thick air made her eyelids difficult to keep open. She could hear the woman chiding her for falling asleep this early and she mentally shook herself and sat up straiter.

"Next is chamomile to help your dreams remain happy ones." She explained then rubbed the flowers into Kagome's wrists. The girl looked at the yellow and white buds with confusion and when the lady poured a clear vile of liquid into her hearth, she raised her hand to her nose and smelt the relaxing scent. "I just burned bergamot to help you feel like the dream is reality."

"Then we have jasmine. I mixed it into the air already and it will keep you from waking from your dream from outside stimuli." She spritzed the air a few more times and Kagome just sighed and held back the yawn. Her eyes grew heavy and she readjusted her posture. Her legs tucked into her body and the woman finished her preparations by tucking a rose into her hair. "The rose will help you remember and enjoy your dream as often as you wish. Sweet dreams." Her eyes fluttered a few times and she watched the woman slink away into a back room before her body slumped and her mind melted away.

TUH

InuYasha rubbed his back and stretched his neck. His tan skin hid bruises well but the black and blue mosaic that was now his stomach made his head spin. He dipped a foot into the spring and smiled at the heat. He slid in quietly and rested his pounding head on the ledge.

His ears twitched when the sound of his door opening and the tiny pitter patter of feet. The little maid girl, he assumed.

He listened with rapt attention to her movements. She fluttered from one end of the room to the other, fixing what was broken and putting things in their rightful place. She entered the dark bath and reached up with all her might to place the towels on the rack. He watched as she couldn't reach.

He stood quietly, the constant bubble of the spring masking the slight ripple he made with his exit. His silent footfalls went unheard until hands wrapped around her midsection and lifted her up. She yelped and tossed the towels into a pile.

When he sat her down she flattened herself against the wall and blinked repeatedly at him. He raised his hand in surrender and tried to forget he was standing in front of her wearing nothing but his undergarments. Red stained both their cheeks and he opened the door and she shuffled out, her face a mask of mortification.

They both muttered a hurried sorry before she raced from the room and he shut the door. When she exited the quarters, her feet turned to jelly and her heart felt like it might beat out of her chest. He massaged the back of his neck and rubbed his rapidly beating heart. He let out a gruff snort and wanted to beat someone to feel manly again.

Both spent the rest of the night rubbing their chest, the spot right over their hearts.

TUH

Her mother baking cookies. Kagome smiled lightly when her mother pulled the pan from the oven and hissed when her mitt slipped. Their voices went unheard but her brother and his soccer friends raced past in their jerseys and shoes before her mother could call out and tell them to not sit on the sofa with their grassy pants. When she reached for a picture frame on the window frame, Kagome was yanked from the bar chair and onto a different dream.

She under stood that the magic the woman was using was suppose to give her good dreams, so when her mother reached sadly for a picture of herself, the magic tried to take her from something that might lead her to sad dreams. She understood and was happy to look at them for the few seconds she did.

Next came a hill. She glanced around and caught sight of a small group of people climbing the hillside. She recognized the bright red ropes and the skimpy school uniform as soon as the bickering two rounded the summit. She smiled ruefully at the seven. She caught Sesshomaru's gaze locked on her past selves mouth and she wondered with slight longing what it was like to kiss him.

Then she was walking down a hall. Her head was light and her clothes seemed to swish around her body like she was in water. The moon bathed everything in a silver hue. Her movements felt fluid and she spun around when she felt eyes watching her.

A rich golden tone blinked languidly from the dark recesses of the hall. She wondered if she was dreaming about InuYasha again. It wouldn't have been the first time, but she had though she'd gotten over him. She wondered subconsciously if she still harbored a crush for him but quickly thought better of it.

She was prepared for InuYasha to run out saying he loved her over Kikyo; the dream she's had for weeks back when she was traveling with the dead priestess, but she gasped in surprise when Sesshomaru strode from the darkness.

His chest was bare and his robes had been discarded and in their place was a loose pair of training pants. He moved forward with slow, sensual moments. Her stomach was tying itself into knots and warmth was spreading through her body.

His large hands reached behind her and a wall suddenly appeared behind her back. Her fingers pressed into the wood and spread over its grains. Her breath was coming in deep pants and her heart pounded franticly against her rib cage. She tried telling her body not to act that way, not to forget that she was dreaming, but then he kissed her.

Her toes curled and she couldn't get her fingers into his hair like she wanted to. His lips were soft and warm and his hands were similar. This was her dream, if she wanted to be kissed carefully, she could ask a boy from her time. Her mind rebelled against the thoughts but she decided if she was already mortified, might as well make the best of it.

As if the magic responded to her, his lips released her and then pressed down. Harder. They were no longer soft but callused and scared, the lips of a warrior. His hands planted themselves on ether side of her head and when his lips trailed down her neck, she watched the blue blood pump through his veins under pale skin.

Her eyes fluttered close when he licked the juncture of her neck and shoulder before taking in a breath and expelling it, causing a shiver to race down her spine. Her hands finally worked and she trailed a hand through his hair. It was thick and corse from the time without the soaps and mixtures from the palace. He didn't smell like the other Lords. He smelt like power and when he kissed her lips she felt like she was about to be hit by lightning.

Her toes tingled and her fingers seemed to curl at the bace of his skull. Her legs planted themselves on his hips and her back arched against the wood. Her head buzzed and she could hear his rich baritone muttering her name again and again.

"Kagome." It was breathless and deep, like he could quite control it. She whispered his name again and kissed his strong jaw. His arms peeled off the wall and molded to her back, holding her off the ground and plastered to his chest. He repeated his chant of her name. "Kagome. Kagome. Kagome."

Each time her name became more and more monotone until it sounded like he normally would. She pulled her head from the side of his face and looked him in the eyes. Slowly fragments began to fill in. The disheveled hair of the dream began to be replaced with the perfect style of the normal Sesshomaru.

The only thing that remained the same was his eyes. While in the dream they were at half mass and dark with pleasure, the same eyes looked down at her now. His were brighter than the dreams, a shocking gold with silver specks around the iris.

She just sucked in a breath and swallowed thickly, her throat constricting. She glanced around wildly until she landed on the woman with the pipe. A deep frown marred her face and her hair seemed to slither around her head like it might express its anger like her face. Her pipe smoke had also changed color. It had gone from a pretty pink to an angry purple.

Kagome's head was pounding and her vision blurred. Sesshomaru could tell she was not her typical self when she tugged on his ropes and groaned. Her heart was pounding to hard and her breathing was ragged.

"I warned him not to wake you." She hissed, her lip curling in annoyance as she pressed her painted lips to the pipe and inhaled. Pink smoke curled out her nostrils and around her head crafting a crown in the air above her. "The fact that he managed to pull you from my dream stasis is the only reason I don't cast a sleep spell on both you."

"Thanks." Kagome muttered when Sesshomaru growled and threw her arm over his broad shoulder. He supported her weight as he carried her from the smoky room. Her head lolled to the side and she laughed, calling to the smirking woman. "I had lots of fun! I'll be back!"

"You most certainly will not, Miko." He denied before finally picking her up and folding her against his chest. She whispered a few times before rolling closer and snuggling into his clothes. He frowned and his nose scrunched up in distaste for the unnatural smells that cloaked her body.

When he reached the guest wing, he tapped the door open with his foot before walking inside and placing her lightly on her bed. He supposed he would have to explain her duties at a time she wasn't under the effects of that blasted woman's sleep magic.

He glanced down at her and raised a brow. Her arm was tossed over the side of the bed and her mouth was open. Her hair was splayed across the pillow and the red rose placed above her ear almost escaped his notice but he found himself reaching out. The petals were smooth and soft under his touch.

He placed the blossom on her desk before spinning around and striding out the door. He didn't look back.

**It's Sunday, it's stormy, and I wanted to write something saucy. For the long wait, enjoy an extra long chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

When Kagome opened her eyes, the wilting petals of the rose blocked her view. Sango was spinning it between her fingers and glancing down at her. Her head felt sharp and the foggy memories came back to her in a rush. Her head fell back onto the pillow and she just basked in her self-pity.

"What's up with you?" Sango asked, gently tucking the flower behind her friend's ear. Kagome touched the petals and then sat up. Her back ached and her eyes stung. "You look like hell."

"Thank you for that beautifully truthful comment." Kagome rubbed her forehead and muttered under her breath about the potion woman. Sango raised a perfectly carved eyebrow and crossed her arms; a physical sign that Kagome was not leaving the room with out an explanation. "The potion woman, she can make you dream."

"Don't mess with demon magic, Kagome, it never ends well." She stood and walked to the door before spinning around to face her startled friend. "Just watch your step around here. All I know is that all the woman flooding the palace are looking at you like a toy they wish to play with."

She took her friends words to heart and rose diligently before putting on her best gown and marching out to find Sesshomaru. She needed something to keep her hands busy before Yuzuki returned home, triumphant.

Servants bustled around every corner. Many stood atop precariously placed ladders and dusted the ceilings and the moldings. A few woman artfully arranged a bundle of flowers to match the art work behind them. Her bare feet drew little notice and she went unheard through the throngs of people. Less then a week from now she would be returning, the heir that is, and Kagome wondered how she would take the victory.

Kagome was sure the demon would be successful; just like her father, she was skilled and clever and like her unknown mother, charismatic and friendly. A maid barreled past her and stepped on her foot. The girl threw an apology over her stack of boxes but didn't bother to stop and ask if she was ok. A few more girls untied the thick tapestries and a male bundled them up.

"What are you doing with them?" She asked, pointing to the rolled fabrics. The colorful designs depicted flower demons frolicking in a stitched meadow and large dogs bounding across multicolored rivers. She squatted down and ran a ran over the needlework. The threads felt thick and hearty on the pads of her fingers.

"Storage. The celebratory hangings will be brought out." He explained before tucking the curtain under his arm and striding down the hallway. A few girls giggled when he passed but he seemed to remain steadfast in the direction of what she assumed to be storage.

"Miko." She spun around at Sesshomaru's voice and felt a blush at the thought of having a slutty dream about him. She rubbed at her neck and bit her lip. He glanced at the man walking down and then back to the flustered woman before him. "You hold some sexual interest in my lieutenant?"

"What?" She seemed generally confused before understanding and stuttering out a sincere but hurried "No!".

"Do you wish for your job or to trail my underlings like a puppy?" He snarled and she was taken back by his harsh tone. Her face twisted with anger and she shot back a resort.

"You wish I was following you around?" She questioned, cocking a hip and planting her fingers on her waist. He raised an eyebrow at her defensive posture.

"I simply wished to convey that you seem to be preoccupied as of late." His tone had gone from cold to icy within seconds and she readjusted her sleeves when she felt a blush of mortification creep up her neck. She shook her head and tried to get the color from her cheeks. She didn't catch the thick swallow Sesshomaru took when her hair splayed across her back.

"Can you just tell me what I have to do?" She asked, crossing then uncrossing her arms. He nodded once and turned to the side and inviting her to walk with him. She obliged and hooked her arm at his elbow. He glanced down but she was too caught up in her own world and was oblivious to his looks.

"I require someone to help the chef with small matters like herb gathering and cooking." He explained. She nodded and they continued their stroll in quiet. A few guest followed lead and sat in different gardens or walked around the palace.

"I must pick a possible mate at the party." He muttered and she was surprised to hear the small undertone she heard. She thought it might have been fear. Her hand tightened around his arm and she smiled.

"Don't fret Sesshomaru; I'll protect you from those monsters you call noble woman." Her teasing caused him to sneer and her to giggle harder. A few people glanced in their direction bur the pair were much to caught up taking about the party and the guests, that they seemed to miss the stares and whispers.

"This Sesshomaru does not require protection." He defended, raising his chin and subtly set his shoulders back a bit to appear more menacing. He had slipped into third person because of his anger and she just nodded and laughed. Her smile vanished when a man richly dressed passed by.

Gorai, the Northern Lord, smirked and leaned in close and grabbed Kagome's hand from its place at the crook of Sesshomaru's elbow. He pressed his thin lips to her skin and her fingers tightened around her companions shirt. He growled a bit when the Lord let his tongue lick the soft flesh of her fingers. She hissed and yanked her hand back.

She knew from her studies that cat demons were fickle creatures, and that they liked bright new things constantly. The northern Lord had worked through three marriages and the women had all died due to severe beatings.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and placed a reassuring hand over hers before striding forward. He felt the little swell of pride at how well she handled herself and to show this, rubbed a small circle onto the skin of her palm. She smiled and forced her coiled muscles to unwind.

"You did well." He complimented, separating from her at the kitchens. The pounding in his head was causing some alarms to ring and he decided reflection would be the best way to solve that. He was stopped by her words.

"Why does he like me?" She questioned. He looked at her over his shoulder and stared for a few seconds. He thought about it from the perspective of a feline. She was not small and lithe like females of the cat tribe, her shoulders were large and strong from practice with sword and bow. Her legs were longer and more corded with muscle.

"You prove to be a challenge." He replied, not finding the answer satisfactory when it rolled off his tongue. He looked out to the garden and tried again. "He is handed splendid trinkets and bobbles, I assume he thinks you are one such thing."

"Good answer. Don't worry about me, I know I have a big strong demon to protect me." The joke fell flat when Sesshomaru snorted.

"InuYasha is lacking the strength you think he has." The comment was rushed and she cocked her head before answering in kind.

"Who said I was talking about him?" Her mouth tightened into a stern line before she ducked into the cover of the kitchen, their previous fight all but forgotten.

TUH

"Ok Katsuo, when you heft an ax, you have to straiten your back and spread your legs. An ax is heavy and if you don't have strong footing, it will cause you to trip or stumble durning battle; something we most certainly do not want." Yuzuki chided. Cho smiled and spun the small knife around between her fingers while watching him twist the large weapon around his head.

"Why do we have to change weapons?" Hiroaki questioned, bumping his brother to wake him up. The twin blinked languidly before sprawling out on his brothers lap. Hiraku brushed his hand over his brothers knee and Hiroaki ran fingers through his brothers hair. It was a sibling sentiment that suddenly pulled the training to stop. Cho stood and threw the knife in the general direction of Kazuki's head. The blind owl rubbed his brown hair and looked her direction with confusion.

"Did Cho just attempt to scalp me?" He questioned and Takeshi laughed from his place beating up a fallen log with his sword. She chuckled.

"It's your turn, old man." She stated, trying to yank the blade from where it was deeply imbedded in the wood. When it refused to give, she hissed in annoyance and planted her hands on her hips before glowering at the tree.

"Do you need help?" Katsuo asked kindly and then when she nodded, he carefully removed it and placed it in her waiting hands. She smiled and then leaned over to carve something into the bark. When she leaned back, his name was etched into the wood using the deep grove created from her original throw. He smiled and placed a kiss to her cheek. With both their faces burning, they parted and spent the rest of the night sitting at opposing ends of the camp until they were ultimately forced to interact when they setup their tests in the two places the rest of the group had left for them, right next to each other.

Yuzuki roasted small lizards and newts over a spit and when they finished, were plucked off their sticks and devoured whole. While stuffing her face, she thought over the day.

Hiraku and Hiroaki both were proficient at almost every weapon she handed them, but she knew they could do better. Katsuo showed real promise with his axe and his broad shoulders. Cho needed to calm her temper and focus if she was to ever master such an advance weapon as a spear. Kazuki revealed that, though good with a blade, he preferred whips. After six rounds with him, she wondered if she could truly win in an all out battle with him. Takeshi reduced to take part and she was fine with that. Only one question bubbled up.

"Why are you all so talented but yet so untrained?" She asked and felt mortification curling in her chest. Before she could stop it, her next rushed sentences made her statement sound garbled. "I mean you're practically overflowing with raw aptitude but it's been unharnessed. I thought you joined the army?"

"We did. You're just the first person to actually take the time to learn our strengths and our weaknesses. They never did." Cho explained like it was common knowledge and the others nodded their head and seemed to move on, talking about battle strategies and what they would rather be eating. Yuzuki felt her heart hum in content.

Then she realized it wasn't her heart humming, but the ground; shaking from the heavy footfalls of an oncoming army.

**I'm back! Sorry for the late update but hope you like this chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Kagome rolled the dough and pressed the mounds into small globs. The huge sheets were then placed in the oven and the baked ones were taken out. She shoved her hands into the large mitts and grabbed the tray from inside the oven. The heat wafted out and warmed her up from the cooling night air.

She was the last one in the kitchen. It was late into the night but she had taken the whole day slow, perfecting each delicacy that was placed before her. The cook had told her she was nothing if not a perfectionist.

One by one, she plucked the warming rolls from the pan. A few she drizzled with chocolate and others she filled with a sort of whipped cream. A feeling of serenity overcame her and she understood why her mother loved baking so much. With that thought, her fingers went still and she placed a flower covered hand on her apron clad hip and refused to cry.

She started again with her baking. Her fingers grasped the last pan and placed them inside the oven and shut the door. With her feet she kicked a few more logs onto the fire and the flames illuminate her face.

While they were cooking, she pulled the pack of cheaply rolled cigarettes from her apron pocket. She had smoked before and, while not often, she would buy a pack to calm her nerves.

She pulled one out and placed it close to the fire. The paper lit and a heavy smoke wafted from the end. She took a drag and let the smoke settle before blowing it out. Her back pressed against the counter and she remembered her father that smoked. She shook her head and blinked to stop the tears.

"God, what is it, Tear Tuesday?" She joked, clenching her lips to keep the cigarette from falling while she rolled the dough into a clay tin so it would stay fresh over night. She finished with the decorating of the last few and packed up and cleaned her station. She ducked under her table to put away a whisk. Just as she was about to leave, she jumped when something was placed on the table above. She jumped and her head connected with the wood. She hissed and shuffled out.

Sesshomaru was above her, looking out the window and away from the plate of leftovers he had brought her. She smiled and lead him to the workers table. They sat in silence while she ate. The meat was cold but still rich and the rice complemented it nicely.

"Thank you." She muttered, pulling another cigarette from their pouch. She held one out to Sesshoamru who politely declined. They moved slowly over the window where she pulled a chair over to the window. He followed suit and watched her inhale then exhale, causing a large smoke ring to dance before her face.

"I never knew you smoked." He stated, keeping his eyes trained on the full moon. She just chuckled and when she laughed, a string of smoke trailed out of the corner of her mouth.

"I have many facets. You are lucky to see this, small, but important part of myself." She said quietly before tapping the ash outside the window.

"If you wished to smoke, I could provide better materials." He said and frowned when she looked over at him and blew a cloud right into his face. When her cleared the air, she had a smile on her face. It was not her happy smile nor her rueful one. It was mirthful, the likes of which you might find on the fey and pixies.

"Oh my Sesshomaru, you must understand, it's not the substance people crave, but the instant satisfaction." She rested her feet up on the window sill and he watched her watch the moon flowers bloom. She never looked his way.

He rested his back into the old chair and watched the stars twinkle in the night. He would, every so often, glance her way and catch that smile. Neither talked, just sat and observed the night in companionable silence.

TUH

Yuzuki jumped into action. Her hands shot to her canister and threw her remaining water onto the flames. They sputtered and she stomped out the ambers. The members of her team groaned and questioned her but she just shushed them and dropped to the ground. Her ear hovered over the dirt and she signaled to the people looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"Seventeen coming on horseback from-" She waited a few seconds before she pointed to the sparse line of trees in the distance. "-that direction."

They all pulled out their weapons that gleamed in the darkness. Yuzuki's swords reflected the moonlight and under the full moon, her crew could see the feral look that seemed to consume her pupils.

"Let me take this. Pack up and find cover; I will meet you at Dragon's Pass in one day." She said and they ignored her, planting their feet into the loose soil and raising their swords and assorted weapons. She growled and Cho cowered a bit before spinning her spear around a few times to give herself courage. "I'm not kidding. These men that are coming are not some bandits. You'll just be in the way."

"Don't be so cruel." The twins mirrored, pressing their shoulders together to lend each other their strength. She faced the trees but let her hands sweep out and hold back the others.

"I'm not being cruel, these men are dragons; rebels to make it worse." She revealed and the others glanced over at her with shocked stares. "They will kill you quickly and without mercy. The only way I can win against so many is if I don't have to hold back and worry about so many other people. You have gotten stronger, but not strong enough to take on dragons."

"Besides, this is my quest, I have to finish on my own. Get the tents packed and hide; if they get past me and to our supplies we are finished. Please." She pleaded and they obeyed, retreating after placing reassuring hands on her shoulder. Her swords hummed in her hands and she smirked.

When the men peaked the hill, they witnessed a girl, bathed in the shiver light. Her white hair flittered around her head and crowned her like a fairy queen. Her swords gleamed and seemed to be tinted in blood at her sides. Even from a ways away, they could see her heated gold eyes boarding into there skulls. The leader, mounted on a black steed and covered in a black cloak, pointed with his sword and they charged.

Yuzuki could feel her beast coiling in its cage, shivering in anticipation. She raised her twin blades and the men yelled out a battle cry over the sound of their horses hooves. Her teeth elongated and she growled low in her throat, flashing her fangs to the men.

A few dismounted and knew their mistake the second they made it when her blades connected with their flesh. She blocked their raised swords and deflected arrows aimed at her heart. She found a man racing at her back and spun quickly on the balls of her feet. Her blade connected with her shoulder and he let out a cry. Another took his place and lashed out with a poorly made mace. It smashed into Yuzuki's stomach and she was thrown backwards. She could feel her hold on her beast shake. With a flash, she had jumped up and ran, bare handed, at a man on a horse. She caught her red-eyed reflection in his pupils right before her claws dug into the sensitive skin of his neck. Her mouth clamped onto his jugular and she restrained her instinctive urge to tear it out.

She shuffle away from the man who was breathing thickly. In all the chaos, his hood had fell back to reveal his face. A boy, no more than seventeen glanced back. In her moment of self-doubt, her beast took root and refused to release its hold.

The battle ground was covered with their blood and a few had passed out. She knew her shirt was covered in blood but she moved onto the next few. They raised their bows and fired. Their arrows connected and splintered against the steel of her swords.

Her face contorted and the dragons watched with horror as her posture went slack then tenses up. When she raised her head, the leader was looking into the eyes of a bloody beast. Her fangs were coated in blood from one of his men and her irises were crimson.

"Let's play boys." She hissed, her words coming out as little more then a growl. Her beast watched with keen eyes and the leader left from his horse and landed on the ground. He raised his sword, as if expecting her to pounce, but she remained planted across from his men. Even in such a primal stage, she could recognize a man who who realized he was out of options.

"If I fight you, you have to promise to let my men go." He reasoned, cutting his palm and letting a few drops of blood mingle with the already soaked grass. The beast raised a bloody hand to her face and when she removed it, a splatter was painted across her cheek. She thought about it and ignored the pounding of her other half.

"Your men will live. The _other_ one is _ethical_." The beast hiss the last word like it was a curse, never to be said. She walked forward with precise and smooth steps. She stopped before the leader and tilted her head, trying to catch her face below the thick block cloak. He shifted back and held out his bloody hand. "Killjoy."

Her fingers splayed over his hand and brought his palm to hers, which she had slit with her sharpened claws. Their bloods mixed and splattered onto the ground. He nodded and waved his men away.

Yuzuki's beast licked its lips and watched the tasty morsels retreat back into the forest. The man before her was tall, with slim shoulders and waist. She spotted the bulge of his sword under his cloak and the hilt of the other at his back. She cocked her head and ran a hand over her own blades.

"You are a beast?" He questioned, pulling a silver sword from his shoulder. She twirled her blades carelessly, cutting herself on a few occasions. They circled each other and talked, both wanting the fight to be prolonged; the beast for the pleasure of the fight and the dragon for the lives of his men.

"Yes." She hissed, slashing out once and gauging his reaction time. She smirked and blocked a blow and parried it. Both waited, never letting their eyes wonder from sir opponent. "You are a dragon."

"Why are you here?" He asked, startled when she snarled and the playful demeanor vanished. He raised a brow and she stopped moving and placed her sword laden hands on her hips. "What?"

"This is not how it works. You asked your question, it was my turn!" She demanded, flashing forward and digging the tip of her blade into his leg while he plunged a hidden dagger into her shoulder. Both dashed apart and in the flash of pain, Yuzuki regained control. She pulled the knife from her arm and tossed it to he ground along with one of her swords.

The leader seized his chance and sprung forward. She glanced up and reacted on instinct. Her claws moved up and dug into his stomach. His mouth was open wide and he glanced down at her hand. He choked and fell to the ground. She could feel the sob bubble up from her throat at the sight of his life blood flowing from the five puncture marks.

She moved forward and threw back his hood. Her breath was sucked from her lips when she recognized him. He was her future fathers most trusted lieutenant. Her fingers fluttered over his wounds and put pressure on them. His black hair was clinging together when mixed with the bloody ground. She knew he could hear her pleas for him to forgive her.

"Oh god Ryutaro. Oh god!" She whispered and she could feel tears forming. She could remember him sneaking candies into her during boring lessons and teaching her how to scale a wall with only her claws. She glanced into his eyes and saw the confusion boiling in his dark eyes. He didn't know her yet. "You can't die yet! You're meant to live!"

"How...do you...know...?" His question was cut off when he coughed and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. She just shushed him and ran over options in her head. Her breath rushed out as she thought of one.

"You don't know me but I know you. I can save you if you let me." He didn't respond and she wasn't waiting for him to. Her tongue ran over the bloody marks and he clenched his bloody hands into the grass. She pressed his arching back into the ground and cleaned the wounds, smiling when the blood cleared and the bleeding stopped. Her worried murmurs fell on deft ears.

She glanced up and sobbed when she noticed his eyes had fluttered shut. Her voice was rough and she let out a cry of relief when his chest heaved and he took in a large gulp of air. She collapsed onto his chest and he tried to speak.

"Who...The 'ell are you?" He choked out and she refused to answer. He wanted to reach up and throw her off him, but he couldn't seem to find his hands. Her hair was in his mouth and her breath on his bare chest was causing goosebumps to race down his arm.

"My name is Yuzuki. I know you from the future and boy am I happy you're not dead." She laughed and fell backwards. He glanced over at her with only one thought in his head which he made orally known.

"You're insane."

**Yay! Finally, you meet Ryutaro! I am in love with Kagome's part in this chapter! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

"Kagome!" The chef called, his voice echoed off the walls and rattled a few drowsy workers from their half-sleep. The woman looked up and pulled the cigarette from her mouth before tapping the tip over into the trash can. "Come 'ere girl!"

She swaggered down the small berth between working stations and met the tall man known only as chief. A large wolf demon, his pelts around his waist were pristine condition and he was smiling but the most notable feature would be his rather huge nose.

"Sir?" She questioned and he raised one eyebrow considering the other had been charred off in an oven fiasco a few days prior to her arrival. He smiled and grabbed the poor girl up in a bear hug.

"Simply lovely pastries ye crafted girlie." His thick ascent made her smile and she blew a few strands of loose hair out of her face. Her small hands were covered in flour up to her elbows and a few splotches had ended up on her face. Her eyelashes also seemed to be coated in the thin white powder. "'ead on 'ome. Ye earned it."

She smiled and slowly walked back to her small station and washed her sticky bowls and dirty utensils. She was not in a hurry to leave like the rest of them, but chose instead to take her time and perfect the art of cleaning up.

Once she finally finished and was on her way to the public baths, she was stopped constantly and asked were things were located. From what she gathered, a small feast was being thrown tonight and that was why she made those desserts. She laughed when people mistook her for a servant. Her hair was tangled up into a mass of dark brown with a few finer strands escaping and framing her face.

She ran a hand over her sullied apron and turned a corner. She smacked in to someone, a woman by the sound of her shout and yell of outrage. Besides stumbling a few steps, she regained her balance and reached a hand out to help the fallen woman. She hissed and smacked the offered palm away.

"Filthy servant! Don't you have work to do?!" She hissed and started hyperventilating when she spotted a small stain of flour on her dress hem. After she stood, she raised her arm and Kagome stumbled backwards and before she could raise a hand to defend herself, a pale robe fluttered into view.

Sesshomaru gripped the noble woman's sleeve and she gasped in surprise. Her mouth, once twisted down in anger, was tilted up in joy. She bowed and turned to face him, forgetting the miko she left sprawled on the ground. She blinked a few times when he walked carefully around her and plucked the human from the floor.

"Please refrain from shoving those in my pack." He growled and the woman gasped again, raising her hand to her mouth and lightly bared her neck in a show of obedience. He gestured for the miko to walk before him and she let her head turn down when passing the noble. When they were farther down the hall, Sesshomaru spoke up. "You could have revealed yourself, she would most certainly have let to go."

"Did you know her? She seemed pretty keen on you." She rubbed her wrists from her fall. He ignored her pathetic attempt to avoid the question and humored her with an answer.

"I bedded her once." He turned down a corridor and stopped when he realized the miko was no longer following. He looked over his shoulder to see her scandalized face. He sighed and slowly back pedaled to the now fuming Kagome. "I see you have a problem with that."

"You slept with her and she thinks it means more then you think it does!" She accused, pointing a finger and jabbing it into his chest. He would have broken and burned the hand of anyone else, but he forced himself to remember that until InuYasha showed initiative, he was still the Alpha. "I thought royal bloods liked chastity and all that jazz."

She flared out her fingers in a gesture then waited tightlipped and cross with him until he finally started talking again. He forced her to continue walking while he spoke.

"What difference does make? If given choice, I would rather have an experienced lover than one who knows nothing, such as yourself." He motioned to her and she scoffed. He raised an eyebrow. "In fact, it is your kind that wishes for woman to be 'pure' upon their wedding day. What are your thoughts on the matter as I'm sure you have many."

"Only one truthfully," she stated, swaying her hips side to side as she walked in front of him. His eyes caught the movement and wondered why his mouth went dry. "Chastity is an idea crafted by men who think their genitals so magnificent they can change who a woman is."

At first she was caught off guard by the sound but when she looked over her shoulder, she realized he was laughing. She had heard him chuckle but this was more, a small smile was spread over his lips and she liked the way it pulled up his whole face, making him look the part of the kind prince as seen in all the fairytales.

"You find that funny?" She asked, the giggling catching on and she had to stop herself from letting the bubble of laughter burst from her mouth. She planted her flour covered hands over her lips and when he finally composed himself, the mirth still shimmered in his eyes.

"Mi'Lord! Wait!" The woman raced after him and the happy atmosphere seemed to dissolve and the only thing that caused the whole mood from dissipating was the small smile he flashed her before turning to face the noble.

Her blonde hair trailed down her back and was intertwined with ribbons and pins that sparkled in the light. Her dress was new, like she had raced to her room and changed from her previous one. The new was a rich green that fit her body like a glove and pushed her large breasts above its laces and fabrics. She bowed and when she straitened, she flashed a bright smile at him.

"Excuse me, I have to escort Lady Kagome to her rooms to freshen up before the banquet." He nodded his head to her and moved forward. She gripped his open arm.

"I'll come with. Besides, the dinner is hours away." She curled her claws into the fabric and the smugness that radiated from her made Kagome's stomach swirl with jealousy she didn't even know why she had. When she caught his eyes, she saw the plea under his cold mask. She smiled secretly and started to plan.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoamru lied because he didn't want you hurt." Kagome blurted and noticed the smile evaporate from her face. "We were going to train but he didn't want you to feel left out. I mean, a lady fighting?"

She scoffed and the noble lady plastered a smile on her painted face. She released Sesshoamru's arm and bowed to him before marching off without a word. She raised a hand to her mouth and stopped the giggles from leaving. She noticed Sesshoamru trying to shake himself of her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, noticing him sniffing his clothing and frowning. He raised a sleeve to her and she raised a brow but sniffed. Her eyes widened when she could smell the faint trace of the woman. "What did she do?"

"She tried to mark me. She must have spread her scent over my clothing and hoped I would not notice." He hissed and a deep growl resonated in his throat. He marched off in a different direction. Kagome followed hurriedly behind him, two of her steps matched a single stride of his.

Down a hallway she spotted two large oak doors, their faces polished and craved and painted with scenes and depictions. When he threw one open, she followed slower, trailing a hand over the marks. She saw the same dog from the tapestries and a large cat sitting on a mountain.

"What is this door?" She called into the dark room. A light flickered in the corner and illuminated a bare-chested Sesshoamru. She had watched him train enough times to not blush on sight. He was livid but his anger lessened when he saw what she was pointing at.

"The tiger is the youki to the north. The Lord is Gorai, the cat demon you met earlier. The one you called...what was it? A pervert." He smirked and she smiled at the small shine in his eyes. "The wolf represents Koga to the South, the bird youki are in control of the East. The Lord took the crown when my father killed the dragon ruler. With no heir but his newborn son, the dragons retreated deep into there land. Where my daughter now fights the few left who are loyal."

He placed a hand over the carved dog, his pale palm dwarfing the dogs form. She placed her fingers over his but refused to meet his eye, instead outlining the small provinces and things the original carver have crafted.

"Why are you so kind?" He asked it unlike a question but more as a exasperated but rhetorical question. She just let her fingers drop from his and tangled them at her back. Her heart was beating erratically and she refused to place a hand to it.

"Don't ask questions I can't answer." She scoffed, ignoring the tight constricting in her throat and the heat building in her stomach. She smiled when his brows knotted together. "Go take a bath and get that girl's scent off you."

She laughed but it sounded hollow to both their ears. She was about turn and run when her mothers words floated through her mind. She called to the retreating back of the imposing Western Lord.

"Because being kind is as close I can get to being happy in my situation." She nodded and twirled on her heels and left the room. He didn't turn around but if he had, he would have seen the smile that had climbed its way onto her face. If she had looked back, which she had not, she would have caught sight of his shoulders rising and falling in silent laughter.

But neither looked back.

TUH

Yuzuki pulled the man with her. The dragon coughed and blood splattered the ground and was quickly washed away by the pelting rain. She took another step and supported the weight of the almost fallen solider.

"A few more yards and we'll be in the cave! Please wait to die!" She pleaded, pulling the deadweight with her. The small mouth of the rock formation was draped with natural foliage to conceal it from prying eyes. Her free hand parted them and when they sprawled across the fur lined inside, he sighed.

"Now do you want to explain who you are?" He asked, holding his reopened wound he refused to let her heal. She scoffed and started to peal off his layers. He started shifting. "If you want me undressed princess, you'll have to buy me dinner first."

"Oh please! You're bleeding again!" She scoffed and noticed his breathing was shallower then before. She growled when he pushed her hands away from his bloody abdomen and she shoved his arms down before licking the curve of his hip bone. He hissed and the tightened fist at his side, lessened and soon uncoiled with the reduced amount of pain.

He sighed and his breaths evened out, causing her to sigh with relief. He had questioned her the whole trip. She had wanted to make it to the canyon and her party but the storm had halted her progress. She hopped she could use the sleeping man to stop the rebellion from raiding other bird youki settlements. She couldn't help but run a hand through his ratted hair.

"My friends and I talk about you. Older you that is. You loose that strip of baby fat and grow out your hair; even earn a few braids.*" She laughed and stopped petting him, noticing that the memories of him were flooding to the surface. "Damn, now I'm emotional.

"I always though the gleam in your eye was from pride or you thinking the boss's daughter had the hots for you but now I realize it was...lust? No, not love either. You would have the perfect word, you always did when I had you help me cheat on my tests."

She could feel her cheeks dampening as thoughts of her father's second-in-command lead to thoughts of her family and thoughts of if she failed. She curled her legs together and focused on memories centered around her and Ryutaro when his voice echoed around the cave.

"Inclination." He muttered. She sniffed and rubbed at her runny nose and watery eyes. She wrapped herself more tightly in her clothes like he had caught her vulnerable. When she coughed out a confused what, he just responded quietly, like he was afraid of startling her. "That was the word you were looking for."

She was silent. Her eyes watched his for a moment before more tears come and the splattered onto the pelts. She laughed and he could see the smile hidden behind her hands. She bowed her head and her laughter filled the cave. He was surprised at how feminine it was.

"Yeah, I guess I was." She just rubbed her eyes and he finally took notice at how exhausted she looked. He commented on it and she just brushed her wild hair out of her face before looking to the vines that hide them. His eyes locked on her lip where she grabbed it between her teeth.

"You're the Unborn Heir." He made the connection and he was awed. She just sighed and buried her head into her lap. He let his head fall back onto his pelt pillow and mull over the recent development. When he had been born, his mother had taken only her most trusted allies with her deep into dragon lands. From an early age, he was praised for his leadership and swordsman skill, but at that moment he felt like he had neither.

He had led his troops into a slaughter and his skill had only proved to put him into a compromising position. As more thoughts flooded his brain, he came to a realization. Before he knew what he was doing, he blurted out his findings.

"How do you know my name if I'm to be your enemy?" He demanded and noticed she had scooted closer to the opening. She looked over his shoulder and in the low light, he was startled by the rich yellow gaze that caught his eye.

"You will become a great general in my fathers army. Gain braids* and conquer lands. Tutor an impressional girl and forge a legendary sword." He seemed shocked and then scoffed, trying to scoot over to the knife in the corner. "You think me senile?"

"I would never align myself with those who wish my people harm!" He pulled the knife from its sheath but dropped it not long after when he realized he could never kill the woman who had cried over him. Instead he placed the blade back in its place and hoped she hadn't noticed his absence.

She was still captivated by the sheets of rain and when he shifted back into place, his hand brushed over his healing wounds and the shiver of pleasure made his toes curl. He had seen couples heal the others bodies after battles, but the feeling of being licked by the woman was disconcerting.

"I guess I have no choice." She sighed and for a second, he thought she meant to kill him. He saw his sword attached to her hip and the two blades in their sheathes over her shoulders and knew if she did attack, he would be defenseless. "Don't look so worried. I only meant I know what I have to do and my father will be furious."

"And what would that be?" He asked carefully, wishing he had kept that knife. He glanced around him for any sort of weapon and was unprepared for when she sat next to him and curled into ball. Her eyes flashed in the darkness and her words made heat flood through his veins.

"I'm going to smuggle your people into the West."

***In some cultures braids are gained when a leader wins a great battle or war.  
Expect another update sometime today.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

The maids tittered and Kagome took the time to scratch at the itch in her tightly wound hair. The woman, using demon speed, smacked her fan into Kagome's hand to stop her from bumping her hairstyle. She sat patiently and prayed revenge on Sesshoamru for letting his stupid maids fix her up.

From across the room, she could hear Sango yelling and throwing things at anyone who tried to brush her hair. When three woman held her down, one quickly pinned back her thick brown locks into a pretty braid. The woman was sulking in her chair and only smiled when Kagome made a bad interpretation of the head maid.

When both woman made their way to the main dinning hall, they were stopped by the stylist who demanded for them to wait.

"Why? Food is being served soon." Sango explained before rubbing at the dress she wore. The fabric was thick and covered all of her flesh but the tightness gave glimpses off her slim form underneath. Kagome thought the monk would freak when she walked in the room.

"We did the best we could on your hair because you are guests of the West. All of the noble woman will be flocking in early to catch the seats closest to the available young men. The key to catching men if for them to notice you first." The older youki painted her nails and blew on them before uncovering a basket and handing out platters. The maids were to be tonight's servers.

"So you're saying you want us to become the West's sex symbols?" Kagome questioned, planting her hands on her hips and causing her doll-like appearance to shatter.

"Nothing of the sort!" She hissed, pulling out a stack of cards and placing them on the table. A few of he girls were given hands of cards and while one group talked, they played. "But if you are you be beneficial, we must show them that human woman are just as refined as those of youki royalty."

"That makes sense." Sango muttered and tried to loosen the ties around her waist but soon gave up. After less then a half hour, both girls were straitened and padded off to get rid of any creases in their outfits.

The maids all had left to begin serving but the elderly woman lead them both down hallway after hallway until the main corridor came into view. Together, the two woman padded quietly over to the open door.

All chatter stopped. Men and woman all fell silent to watch the two descend the stairs. Their eyes followed their path to their seat. Kagome could feel her temple throbbing but when words left her mouth, they were gentle and kind.

"Please, don't mind us! A simple error with our outfits." The whole banquet laughed and Sango watched with wide eyes as Kagome stole the show. They sat at the far end of the table.

The noble woman from all across the land had come to the dinner in hopes of snagging a mate, but were angry at the little human woman who had attracted every lustful eye. A few tried to act the part, fluttering their fans and responding to idle chatter with witty remarks only to be sneered at.

Kagome caught Sesshoamru's figure and noticed that he was conversing with the woman from earlier. She could feel her throat constriction and tried to hide it by patting her painted lips with her napkin and excusing herself. As she exited, she glanced up and caught his eye. He was following her progress with his pupils and she turned her head to brake the connection.

Sesshoamru had been throwing glances at her throughout the night, and the youki chatting incessantly at his side wasn't making matters better. His mother was in her corner negotiating with a lower noble over something or other. He wondered what he would do when his mother died and took her unmatched compromising skills with her.

When he looked back to Kagome, she had stood and her mouth was turned down in a frown. She stumbled a bit and he wondered if she had been drinking. Quite a few men offered to escort her to her room. The woman glanced over her shoulder to Kagome and quickly grabbed his hand to bring his attention back to her. She pressed her chest to the table and mentioned a sister and step-mother. He ignored her and muttered a simple good-bye.

She growled angrily when he walked away. Her eyes traveled around the room for the pair, but the band had arrived and the dancing had commenced. The convivial mood made her sick and she grabbed a glass of liquor from a server before grabbing her bra and yanking it up to go along with the shining smile on her lips. She joined the throngs of people flocking to the dance floor.

TUH

"Miko." He said and she gasped when her nickname was called and she spun around and he could see the cross look on her face. She grabbed a shoe from her foot and threw it at him. He dodged it easily and then stared at her like she was insane.

"Why did you have to sleep with her?" She called, her frustrated sigh making him wonder how much she'd had to drink. When he voiced his question, her displeasure increased and she threw her other shoe. This one he caught. "I had this nice little fantasy where you were a knight in shinning armor but really you're a pig!"

"I do not know why a time of day would be equipped in battle gear nor why you would think I'm a boar youki." He was growing more and more frustrated with every word she muttered. "Is your irrational behavior to be blamed on your moon cycle?"

"Damn you!" She called and he grew worried the whole party would hear. He walked forward and she yelped when she was thrown over his shoulder and marched down the hall. She pounded on his back but he remained resolute. "I always thought your hair was pretty."

She ran her hands through the few strands left out of his braid. He wondered how her mood changed so quickly but enjoyed the sensation and let her continue. He knew her room would be completely out of the question. Many males would take advantage of a drunken woman so he pushed the door to his quarters open and walked through the rooms to the bed.

"This isn't my room." She observed, rubbing her eyes like it was just an illusion. When he went to place her on the bed, she clung to him like a child, her hands intertwined in his hair. "I had a dream like this once."

"Really miko?" He asked, no really listening and more focused on his efforts of laying her down without tearing his hair from his head. "Did I kill you?"

"Nope." She muttered and ran a hand over the silken sheets of the bed. With one hand free, the other untangled easily. She sprawled across the bed and when he thought she was asleep, he started to leave. As he was about to exit the bedroom, her voice caught him. "You were my first smutty dream."

"Really?" He laughed and she laughed with him. He felt his feet become rooted to the spot and he looked back over his shoulder at her. "Sadly, you are much to young to be mine."

"Goodness, was that a joke? There is hope for you yet!" She called, waving her hands a few times before she wore herself out and fell asleep. He was not looking forward to going back to the party and was saved by the appearance of his mother outside his residence.

"Mother?" She clutched a saki bottle but her eyes reveled how not intoxicated she really was. She smiled and tried to look past her son into the room bit was blocked by his large chest.

"You, my son, are no fun." She muttered, and ran a hand over the door her mate had made for their mating. She sighed, taking a drink and turning around, like she had somehow accomplished what she had wanted to. He waited for her to explain but she was almost gone when she spoke. "Oh, and I covered for you and Kagome. Make sure the only trouble she gets into is yours."

She laughed at her own joke and strutted back into the party.

TUH

"Yuzuki!" Her group raced to help her and stopped short when a dragon stood next to her. They all placed a hand on their weapons and only stopped when Yuzuki smiled and introduced him. The watched him with suspicious looks.

Cho made sassy remarks and now donned a long gut scar. She showed Yuzuki with pride and told her while it wasn't deep and healed quickly, it would scar. She had taken to leaving her over shirt off so her stomach was showing. Katsuo tried flirting with Ryutaro to which the innocent dragon blushed at. Both the twins showed him all their magic tricks and grew frustrated when he figured them all out.

She noticed all of their stances gradually loosen and once they were more familiar with their dragon guest, she planed on dropping the information bomb. When a comfortable silence overcame the circle, she took the chance.

"Change of plans." Her spit was done roasting and they all stilled with their movements to listen. "We are going to lead he dragon refugees back to the West."

Everyone stared at her with a wide mouth. Even Ryutaro who had heard it the first time. He had just assumed she would not keep her end of the deal and just return him to his people only to kill them all.

"That's a few hundred people Yuzuki! Where would you house them?" Kazuki asked, his owlish eyes always thinking of a flaw. She just nodded and thought about it for a second.

"The Abandoned." When they all gasped, Ryutaro leaned forward and asked exactly what that was, to which they all gasped again. "The Abandoned it a large village that borders the West and the North. When the recent Lord went to build his palace, he let loose hundreds of pounds of rubble that destroyed the village at the mountain side."

"We dragons prefer rocks to wood but good luck convincing my people of that. If you think they will go anywhere with the granddaughter of the dog demon that killed my grandfather and their leader, you're sorely mistaken."

"I think you'll have the chance to ask. An army approaching from the East." Takeshi muttered, pulling his sword and letting his lips peel back from his fangs. Cho stood and pressed her shoulder to Katsuo who hefted an axe. Kazuki raised whips and cocked an ear to listen.

When the lines of soldiers came pounding across the canyon floor, their echoes bounded off tall walls. Just as Yuzuki was about to pull her swords, a hand slipped around her waist and Ryutaro yanked his blade from her belt. He raced at the oncoming men and waved franticly. They stopped and their battle cry seemed to become a confused whine. He seemed to be trying to explain something to them and Yuzuki quickly ordered her team to stand down. They lowered their weapons immediately, placing their trust in their leader.

"Talk to her!" Ryutaro pleaded with the men, throwing his arms out in exasperation. The leader of the band came forward and Yuzuki walked forward to meet him. They both stopped less then a few feet apart and bowed to each other.

"My name is Yuzuki." She introduced and then gestured him to do the same. He sheathed his sword and she mimicked his action. He raised an eyebrow at her courteous manners.

"I'm the leader of this group. That is all." He said curtly. "All I wish to know is if you are truly the heir from the future and if you are truthful about wanting to help our cause."

"Well considering I'm pretty sure your cause is murdering my father for some kinda Devine retribution, I can't help with that, but I do want to offer you a place were you can live freely."

"Why?" His eyes showed the distrust and she realized she would have to earn these men's trust. She stepped forward and he bristled, as if preparing for attack. Instead, she lay down arms and kneeled on the grass. She sat with her legs under her and her back strait. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the open mouths that surrounded her.

"Please do not kneel to me, my Lady, it makes me feel as if I am dishonoring you." He went to grab her arm but she knocked it away and patted the spot next to her.

"Not in the least. I kneel not for one man but for all and if we wish to resolve this peacefully, why not start by showing a little humility?" She said and he was taken back for a few seconds. He looked behind him at Ryutaro. His eyes were steady and he nodded once.

The unnamed man kneeled as well and Ryutaro followed shortly after. Yuzuki's Cavalry smiled at her before following her example. Witnessing the unthinkable, the dragons watched with unbelieving eyes at the woman crouched on the ground.

One walked forward and stopped when she cracked an eye. He waited for a few seconds before puffing out his chest and strutting forward. She smiled and opened the other eye when he got within talking distance.

"I will come." He saluted and now it was Yuzuki's turn to be surprised. When she looked behind the boy, her eyes went wide at the solders, who only minutes ago were ready to tear her limb from limb, now raising their hands to their hearts in a gesture of respect.

She stood and returned it.

**Not completely happy with this chapter.**


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

Yuzuki was quietly lead into the embroidered tent. The hand sewn fabric was smooth and well made, crafted by a fine hand. She watched the men eye her wearily, most placing their hands on their swords as she passed by. Her mouth pulled away from her teeth and she found herself hissing like a cat. She laughed when the solders spooked and jumped back a few feet.

The leaders all slumped their shoulders and she cursed her fathers pride that ran hot in her veins. The soles of her shoes had since been worn down and she kicked them off as she entered the half crescent that was made entirely of the Dragon's Council.

As she was asked to kneel, she realized the error she had made. Her father's intel had said no more then hundred families escaped the hostile takeover but there were too many for her to comprehend let alone lead. Their distrustful eyes lingered on the crescent placed between her brow and then to her tight mouth.

"You dare to seek our council then refuse to show us the respect we deserve?!" One called, his blue hair seemed to shimmer like scales. He banged his hand down onto the wood and glared at the defiant female.

"Who are you to think you are worthy?" She asked, raising her chin up and looking him strait in the eye. She knew the dragons were domineering to their females and her skin hummed with anger when his fingers clenched. Her mind rebelled at the idea of talking out of turn, but the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. "As for the respect you so desperately want, let your people rebuild and become strong again. You have them living in a wasteland, imagine what you could become. Do not let your pride hinder your vision for your people."

"You think me so insolent?!" His pale face was pulled taunt and his knuckles were so tightly clenched that they turned white. He was visually shaking and she shot a glance over to Ryutaro. He was caught between laughing and crying. She could feel the warm feeling swell in her chest but it was extinguished when he stopped smiling and put on a face that meant, even with a younger appearance, he was all business. She could feel her patients withering under the glares from the other leaders.

"No. I think you are having many affairs and bought your way onto the council to hide the trail leading back to the murders of two woman. I couldn't help but notice the pictures hanging around the camp and the fact that they both belonged to the same group of secretaries that are sitting behind you now, judging on their collective fear or you and the matting uniforms." She sighed and waved a hand above her head. "I will think you insolent but you can not claim me a fool."

His mouth flopped open like a fish and the others slowly examined their fellow leader. A few scooted away and glanced worriedly to the guards placed around the room. Yuzuki blew on a nail and rubbed it against her shirt before speaking.

"So will this take much longer or...?"

TUH

Kagome could feel the pounding in her skull and when she blinked, the blurry night sky came into view. At first, she thought she must have stumbled outside and fallen asleep. It was when she glanced to her sides that she realized the ceiling was painted with metallic stars that glimmered in the low light like a thousand small galaxies.

Her fingers wanted to reach out and touch them but she knew they would only connect with air. Her feet were numb but she managed to throw them over the side of the bed and onto the cold stone floor. Her eyes were still adjusting to the lowlight and when they finished, she was shocked to see just how massive the piles of fur and bedding truly was.

"Sesshoamru's room." She remembered and a blush of mortification crawled up her cheeks as she remembered her declaration. Her groan bounced off the walls and she gripped her roots and tugged a bit. "Great!"

She stood and padded lightly into the next room. The fire was burning low and she knew it was a few hours before dawn and that soon maids would come to add more wood. She noticed a shape slouched over the padding by the fire. With a gasp, she realized it was a sleeping Sesshomaru.

Her footfalls were silent over the crackling of the flames and she moved forwards quietly and watched his eyes flutter under his eyelids. She tugged the splayed blanket up to his waist and tucked it in. He turned inward like a child, clutching at the fabric.

Her teeth caught her lip and she though about heading back to her room to change out of the heavy garments or to explore a bit before leaving. She favored the latter and slowly moved to the far side of he room. A long desk was covered with old scrolls and a stamp to mark as approved.

The room was lined with shelves of scrolls and a thick stitched carpet covering the floor. Her toes wiggled in the carpeting and then she moved on to the next room. Her startled gasp went unheard over the bubbling natural spring placed in the middle of the room. A wooden edge had been built around it and steps lead into the dark depths of the inky pool. She longed to dip her feet but knew Sesshomaru would have her head for bathing in his private chambers.

After her little exploration, she moved past his bedroom and into a side room. It was bare and while lines on the walls told that furniture had once been placed around the room, all the floorboards were bare. It was when she spotted the distinct shape of a crib when she realized what the room was used for.

"A nursery." His voice slipped over her and she jumped, spinning around and splaying a hand over her erratically beating heart. His face was dark and his shadow engulfed her. The moonlight was not enough to illuminate his features and she felt like she was seeing a different side to the mighty Demon Lord. Her fingers twitched at her side and she felt like she might have wanted to reach out, like she had done with the ceiling stars.

"You were raised in here?" She questioned, looking over her shoulder at the outlined toy house. He nodded and reached out to run a hand down the wall. Her eyes followed the movement and she wished for nothing more then not to see how truly vulnerable he was. "Nice place."

"You should not leave this room until the presence of alcohol has left your system. If males smell liquor in your blood, they will think you easy pray." He muttered, slipping back into his icy mask.

"You are worried about me?" She crossed her arms and cocked her hips. He raised a single eyebrow and shook his head; much to her confusion.

"I hold much fear that you will be the one doing the killing, wether it be unintentional or not." Her waved her from the nursery and she padded down the hall to his bedroom. Her back was tingling from were his fingers pressed lightly into the fabric to make sure she never bumped into anything.

When her knees bumped into the bed frame, she sunk into the bedding and patted the spot next to her. He scoffed and just when she thought he might throw her out, he crawled into the bed and shifted so his back was facing her. The smile on her face was threatening to brake into a grin when he scolded her for riling herself up.

She drifted into sleep with the taste of liquor on her tongue and Sesshomaru in her dreams.

Sorry for the wait. Jobs require time and I can't be writing and working.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Yuzuki took small steps down the river. Women's laughter bubbled through the trees like a spring and she found herself wanting to talk to someone who was not a male nor a sexist prick. Her feet were bare and she had changed into more simplistic clothing.

The woman of the Dragon people covered their whole bodies and wrapped thick fabrics about their head and mouths, partly to block the constantly blowing sand, and because it was required by their domineering mates. At the mention of the males, her blood started to boil.

Her fingers dug into the fabric that wrapped around her waist. She though about the fitting with the dress maker. Her had pricked her with his nails and sharpened needles more often than was a coincidence. Once she broke the tree line, a smile spread across her face.

The woman had undressed and now wore just their underclothes; shirts and shorts that still covered much of their skin. They had tossed their headdresses onto the rocks and splashed with each other in the river. Yuzuki picked her way over the boulders and when she came into view, they stopped their playing and watched her with wide eyes.

"Oh please! Don't let me interrupt!" She smiled and waved her hands in front of chest. They carefully returned her sentiments and in little time she was invited into the water with the others. She gathered her questions and when they all stumbled onto the rocks to rest their tired limbs, she took her chance. "Why do you deal with those men treating you the way they do?"

All was silent and she began to regret asking but it was the collection of council leaders wives who answered.

"The bill passed to regulate taxes was created and though up by me. My sister planned the remodel of our patriarchal government through years of quietly passes laws and manifestos. I only hope your sudden intrusion will not disrupt our carefully set plans." Her inky hair clung to her long face and framed her dark eyes. A small smile curled her lips. "I understand that you are doing what you think is right and, I never thought I would say such a thing to a descendant of Inu no Taishō, I agree with you. This change will be beneficial for our people. The only question really left unanswered is how will this be beneficial to you?"

"Keen." Yuzuki muttered, straining her neck to look the part of the Western royal family. "I thought this was a better option then killing countless women and children."

The woman nodded her head thoughtfully and sending one last glance her way, strutted back to her pack of handmaidens. Yuzuki watched her with distrusting eyes and a backup plan forming.

After her bath, she returned to camp and watched the milling of people. She couldn't help but to smile in the moment; the families were sharing a meal and conversing animatedly. A mass of children ran happily through the winding mass of tents and their chiming laughs made the convivial atmosphere only grow.

"I thought the same." The deep baritone was a shock and she spun around quickly, refusing to draw the knife at her hip. The Council deemed her to unstable with swords and had taken her blades away with the promise of returning them upon arrival. "You seem to be happy about their happiness."

"Is that an unusual quality in your people, drawing joy from others joy?" She snapped, crossing her hands over her chest. The warm feeling in her stomach was back. She wanted to sit him down and let him listen to her talk, like he would always demand of her after every mission.

"No, we derive pleasure from more...primal things." The coy smile on his lips made her gasp in laughter. He had always been as tight lipped as her father, so to see a different side to him made her smile widen. His innuendo only made her surprise more genuine.

"So you wished to ask something?" She could tell by his taunt jaw that something was on his mind. "Ask away."

"We had heard stories that you are from the future." He didn't phrase it into a question but she nodded nevertheless. He continued moving slowly to a cluster of small rocks to sit on. He refused to meet her eyes. "You seemed to know me. How?"

Her fingers convulsed in her lap and see wondered if she should tell him. Explain that he becomes the most trusted general in her father's, his arch enemy's, army. She just sighed and looked at him from under her lashes.

"I can't tell you." She whispered.

"Can't or won't?" He shot back, his black hair falling into his face. She just smiled fondly and brushed the hair out of his eyes. She knew the tender gesture wouldn't go unnoticed by his keen eyes but she did it anyway, leaning in to whisper in his ear to discourage ease droppers.

"You will lead armies to victory and have medals to your name. You will be known to all and whispered about by no one. Just promise me when these things have come to pass, you will not be angry with the outcome." Ryutaro smiled and nodded while not understanding the true meaning behind her words. His pride blocked her unhappy frown from view and he eagerly puffed out his chest, as if practicing for giving a mighty speech.

"Why would I be unhappy with those things?" He planted both hands on the rocks to her side and leaned forward a bit. It was in that moment that all connections between his future self and his past self snapped, like a taunt band released. His eyes shone with childish glee and immaturity. She realized it was a look of a boy trying to fill his fathers shoes and had yet to bare arms, yet to taken a life. She could see it in his eyes.

"You do not know for which side you will be fighting for." She mumbled, closing her arms and clamming up. This he did notice and grabbed her hand in his harm grip.

"If you seemed proud of me, it must mean I fought for something worthy." He smiled and she couldn't help but connect the two men again. Two hundred years can change a man, but it seemed to remain unchanged in her dear General.

She sighed and blew the hair out of her face in a huff and could feel in her heart, this would not end well.

TUH

It was the peak of the party when the outline of figures crested the land in which Sesshomaru's daughter left. The party guests flocked to the windows and flooded to the doors, pushing their way past each other to get the first look at the returning royal. Their jeweled outfits shimmered when they ran and the women's laughter rang through the trees. As the shadowed figures approached, it became more apparent something had gone horridly array.

Dragon's marched forward, their thick black hair trailing behind them. At the front of the pack was Yuzuki and she was flanked on both sides by men of power, their chests broad and their head held high. When the heir opened her mouth, her words shocked he growing crowd.

"I must speak to my father at once. Ready the negotiation chambers." She strode forward, the Council members being followed shortly by the heir's group. They were received with drawn out claps and slight nodding of heads. Both gestures made their pride swell.

The mass parted and even from Kagome's place hidden behind the head of bird demon, she could see the swirling mass of Sesshomaru's anger. It was almost tangible in the air. Yuzuki refused to bow her head in submission nor bow out of common respect. Her eyes met his and both seemed to cause the air to thicken.

"What is the meaning of this?" His voice seemed layered, as if it was not completely him talking. Kagome found herself moving forward and pushing men and women out of the way. Once she cleared a spot for herself in the front row of onlookers, she watched with batted breath.

"I requested we meet in private to discuss negotiations-"

"I will not barter with killers and murderers." He hissed, his metaphorical hackles raising at the idea. Again, Kagome felt her feet moving forward to grasp his shoulder in her tight grip. He seemed to reign control from his inner self and she smiled kindly at the men standing across from her. They seemed as shaken at her entrance as Sesshomaru was.

Her mouth was tight when she spoke but they listened with careful ears for every word she said.

"I am the miko Kagome. I hope Lord Sesshomaru will now lead us to the chambers?" It was clear in the tone of her voice that refusal was not an option. He nodded once and shrugged her hold off. She clasped her hands at her stomach and bumped Yuzuki with her shoulder before throwing reassuring looks to her as they walked. She blinked a few times when Yuzuki glanced back to a dragon boy to her side.

"I hope you are pleased with your action." Sesshomaru hissed, his displeasure easily seen. Once they reached the room, the door was slammed shut and her fathers anger became even more compressed. "Speak your mind."

"Don't be angry! I had my reasons!" She cried, her emotions were strung a bit to tight at seeing her fathers furious face. Her whimper only seemed to fuel his rage. "I had to do what I deemed right!"

"You had to do your duty. To your people. To your family." He hissed, his mask reforming and all signs of frustration cleared. Kagome marveled over the horrific power he held over his emotions. She felt her fingers twitch as the girl seemed to lose all resolve.

"They have families! You said ten, twenty rebels at most! There are over four hundred people you wanted me to slaughter?" Her desperate plea only caused her fathers head to snap up and Kagome's jaw to drop. "I told them we could relocate them to the places were the rockslides have hit."

"You made promises you should never have made. You are not yet an official recognized member of the family." At his tone, the dragons surrounding her started growing restless, shifting in their seats and glancing at all viable ways at escape.

"And it seems you are as ignorant as these Council members!" Her fear at her fathers disapproval was quickly turning into a festering anger. She threw her hands out and her slouched posture quickly straitened and he realized she mirrored his mother when she wanted her way. "Occupation of those lands wild help not only our negotiation between the bird youki in their old region but our economy. They can use the raw resources we cannot. I only ask you both to overlook your blind prejudice of your fathers before you!"

"Fathers?" Sesshomaru muttered, leaning forward after a brief silence. Even the dragons seemed a bit startled at her solid arguments and strong will. A few seemed slightly aroused.

"I...what?" She stumbled a bit, rethinking her last few words to find where the question had stemmed from. "Oh, I would like to introduce the leader of the Council on his four hundredth birthday, Ryutaro, son of Ryūkotsusei."

Her father went silent and leaned back onto his chair, contemplating over the offered terms. Kagome was render almost speechless but snapped out of it when Sesshomaru glanced over to her. He didn't say anything, but she had seen the look before when he was asking for her opinion; a rare occur occurrence.

"If your daughter places her trust in them, I think you should place your trust in her." She whispered, looking him in he eye before glancing over to the grateful face of Yuzuki. When her father nodded once, her breath rushed out in a great whoosh and she squatted back down onto the floor. Now that he got a better look at her, he could see the dark rings around her eyes and the pale pallor of her skin.

"I will send troop to accompany your people to your new land. For now, Yuzuki must continue with her coming of age party. I need not another scandal within my house." He sighed and stood tiredly. Kagome just smiled and raised wearily after him. Neither noticed the keen eyes of an exhausted Yuzuki. "Let us all retire. For tonight, I will shelter you."

He lead the elder men from the room and Ryutaro hesitated just long enough to throw a conflicted glance over his shoulder which Yuzuki responded to with a reassuring smile. His mood brightened a bit and he took a breath before following his fellows.

Yuzuki could feel the adrenaline running through her veins start to fade. Her vision tilted inward and as she felt the world spin, a gentle hand was a rock in a storm, one which she held onto.

Kagome grasped the girls shoulders and held her which exhaustion wracked her body. The woman threw an arm over her shoulder and carried her down the hall. The sound of merry dancing and soothing chime of bells and string instruments made her wish she could rejoin the throngs of people celebrating the work of the heir; bringing to waring factions together.

She snorted and finally reached the young woman's room. The door put up little residence and she shuffled the half-awake girl onto the mat in the corner of the room. She muttered out a mumbled slur Kagome took as a thank you and promptly fell into a peaceful sleep after tossing her thick armor onto the floor.

Kagome was about to leave when a torn piece of paper fluttered out of Yuzuki's knife holster. The leather was still warm from where it was in was in contact with her skin. Her nimble fingers grasped the worm photo and peeled it back.

A strong hand stopped her. In her shock she dropped the picture and Sesshomaru's tired face loomed into view. She placed the torn paper back into place inside the sheath and stood up, following the stoic demon down the hall to her room. He placed a hand on her lower back and when they reached her quarters, bowed slightly to her. As he left, her question hung in the almost silent air.

"Arn't you the least bit curious?" She inquired, leaning on the wooden frame of her door. He glanced over his shoulder and was caught by the strange sight.

Her hair was inky and strait, much different from its normal curl, and it tumbled down to her waist in a dark mass. Her cheeks were pink from sun and time spent training. Her fingers were scarred and blistered from sword practice and faux battles. Her dress was making her appear to be of higher noble blood then she truly was, but suited her nevertheless.

"If it is to come to pass as she so thinks it will, I would prefer a surprise than something akin to an arranged marriage." He answered, continuing with his walk.

**Ugh. Writing is hard.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.**

Yuzuki could feel the fabric draped over her shoulders. It was thick and weighed down on her whole body. Another woman pulled a brush from a small bowl and the white paint that clung to the bristles made the skin on her face tighten with displeasure. They painted her face and her nails were encased in enamel.

Once her transformation was complete, she wished she could tear her way from their depth. Her clothed feet made little noise when she left the room. The maids smiled and sighed after her, like an artist admiring their work. The party was to take place in the main hall, but the ladies and their maids had prepared a women only dinner party.

Yuzuki could feel the sweat clinging to her neck as she stood before the sliding door. When she gathered her courage and slid it open, she knew she would rather be in the midst of a battle than trapped in the clutches of these ruthless women.

"Dear!" A quiet cheer went up and the woman shifted in their seats. A few wore armor and looked as uncomfortable as Yuzuki felt. She plastered the fake smile onto her lips and moved with the grace her grandmother had taught her.

"Hello!" She floated across the wooden floor and sat at the head of the table. Kagome smiled and placed a reassuring hand on hers, lending a bit of her strength. The heir smiled and started a conversation with other woman. A few were dull and drab, but many had a gleam in their eye, the sheen of in intelligence, hidden below heir decorated exterior.

"How did you last with all of those male dragons?" One asked, her hands placed around a warm cup of tea. Her robe was tied low to show her cleavage. As the others questioned her about her travels, she though about the recently departed dragons, all who left her with a hug. "Did you not worry they would take...advantage of you?"

"You do not need to skirt around the word rape. It is a horrid deed done by only the most wicked." She wished she had never came to talk with the ignorant woman of the court. "I knew, while they are domineering, they are neither horrid nor as detestable as you seemed to all think."

Her words seemed to echo around the room and Kagome became painfully aware of the startled stares aimed in the young heirs direction. The tense silence was shattered by a clear laugh.

Kimiko, her grandmother, had placed her delicate hand to her mouth and let her laughter resonate within the chambers. The others started giggling with her, their fans raised from their laps to cover their frowns.

"What a spark my son has left burning within you!" She smiled coyly and glanced at the heir who had let her hands fold into the thick fabrics at her waist. Her lips raised assuringly and she seemed to release the same air of nobility that her grandmother had. The elder raised a curved brow. "Do you think you will be the one to lead this land to prosperity?"

"I do not know, all I can assure you is that you sure didn't." Both smiles turned sharp, less soft curves and more hard lines. "You think me weak but I can assure you, I can and will lead my people to what is best for them."

"And yet you lead an army of dragons into their homes?" She asked innocently, her claws curling around the porcelain of the cup. Her golden eyes were keenly locked on her granddaughter with interest in what she would say next.

"I said I would care for my people. I cared for them." The women gasped, many forgetting their fans to cover their shocked faces. For an heir of the West admit to including dragons in her country, it was unheard of.

"And when your land needs you to mate for an alliance, you will just step down from your perch? Do not lie to me little one; could you really give up your freedom for your people?" The room fell silent and even the nobles felt as if this was not a fight between women, but demigods. The temperature seemed to drop and a chill nipped at all exposed flesh.

"I will do what my land requires me to do." Her tone was absolute and Kimiko had to applaud the girl's tenacity. She could see the spark of anger fade in Yuzuki's eyes and promptly stood.

"Interesting." Kimiko noted the tightness of her jaw and responded only by waving for the door to be opened. "Kagome, my dear, if you won't mind accompanying me to my chambers, I feel a bit drowsy."

"Sure." The miko replied, standing with a reassuring pat on the back and a smile and a wink for the heir. Yuzuki only watched with thinned lips and worried eyes.

They hadn't made it far down the hall when the elder woman veered them off course. Kagome followed suit, moving forward a bit to be close to Kimiko. She was unsurprised when the miko asked a question.

"Why would you give up everything for people you have never met?" She asked, the curiosity bubbling below the painted face and sculpted brow. "Did you mate Sesshoamru's father for love or-?"

"Oh no dear, we were matched before we were born. Lucky for us, we found each other tolerable. He was a kind man." She smiled ruefully and almost on instinct, her hand reached up to rub a spot on her neck. Kagome looked at her fingers and then at her face. "I think my room is around here, if you would like to come in, I shall explain farther."

Kagome trailed into the room. It smelled slightly like jasmine and another thick incense she could not name. The bed was placed in the middle of the room and was draped in purples and blues. She sat at a low table and waited for Kimiko to reemerge from a room hidden behind a wardrobe.

"The sole job of a woman is not to find a man, but to farther herself. Wether you be a Lady, a queen or a maid, you will need to be strong to lead. For now, let's focus on Lady's. They are required to remember names of every noble in every nation. Correspondence will be constantly sent for things as small as a new table cloth color to as large as a royal baby's birth. A lady must also be trained in the ways of chicanery. I know not the number of times I have planted the idea of spies to reach my goal." She continued.

"She must also be beautiful, for a Lord will not wed a woman without her wiles. She always knows what must be done wether it be to do battle when her mate is away, or to negotiate treaties and agreements. She will be skilled in all fighting styles that are never to be used. She must be quiet and calm as a wave but also wild and untamed as a swell. Do you understand me?"

Kagome nodded quietly and the sly smile was back on her mouth.

"Head-strong women like you think we Ladies are pets to our Lords. I have to say, you have it backwards. A Lord without his Lady is lost." She stood quietly and made her way to her vanity. Kagome understood the subliminal messages and rose to leave and was only stopped by the Lady's call. "Oh and Kagome-"

"One last thing," She sighed. "A Queen never shows weakness in the face of anyone but herself." Her face was stony and unreadable. Kagome could feel the urge to move but her feet refused, forcing her to remain. The queen raised a wet cloth to her bare shoulder and pulled it downward. The thick white paint was washed away and Kagome could feel the bile rising in her throat. "Gods save the queen."

The woman's neck was a mass of black. In the center was what once could have been a lovely crescent mark, but now was mangled and black. Thick veins spread from it like a dark heart and the lady touched it gently. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand and sprawled the other on the doorframe behind her. As the younger girl stumbled out of the room, throwing apologies over her shoulder, the proud demon squared her shoulders and looked her sickly reflection in the eye.

"Long may she reign."

**Rape is serious and a major problem today, so don't joke about it. Read and review.**


End file.
